Standard Lemma guide

angler

noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈæŋ.ɡlə(ɹ)/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈæŋ.ɡlɚ/
  • rhymes with -æŋɡlə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: AE1 NG G L ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A person who fishes with a hook and line.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A throng of anglers lined the trout stream on opening day of trout season.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An anglerfish, Lophius piscatorius.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The angler lured a smaller fish into reach with the appendage on its head.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Someone who tries to work an angle; a person who schemes or has an ulterior motive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Jonas was a consummate angler when it came the company's leave policy; he had it figured so he only needed to work six months out of the year.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A thief who uses a hooked stick to steal goods out of shop-windows, grates, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, archaic

Qualifier: thieves' cant

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

fishes having large mouths with a wormlike filament attached for luring prey

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: goosefish, anglerfish, angler fish, monkfish, lotte, allmouth, Lophius Americanus

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: spiny-finned fish, acanthopterygian

6

noun

Meaning 6

a fisherman who uses a hook and line

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: troller

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fisherman, fisher

7

noun

Meaning 7

a scheming person; someone who schemes to gain an advantage

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: schemer, plotter

History

Etymology

From Middle English angler, angleer, angeler, equivalent to angle + -er.

Across languages

Translations

47 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Central Bikol: parabanwit — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Bulgarian: въдичар (vǎdičar) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Catalan: pescador esportiu — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Catalan: pescador de fons — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Finnish: onkija — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Finnish: uistelija — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • French: pêcheur à la ligne — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Georgian: მეთევზე (metevze) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • German: Angler — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • German: Anglerin — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Greek: ψαράς με καλάμι (psarás me kalámi) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Ancient Greek: ἰχθυοθηρευτής (ikhthuothēreutḗs) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Ancient Greek: ἰχθυοθηρητήρ (ikhthuothērētḗr) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Ancient Greek: ἀσπαλιευτής (aspalieutḗs) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Ancient Greek: ἰχθυουλκός (ikhthuoulkós) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Hungarian: horgász — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Italian: cannista — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Korean: 낚시꾼 (naksikkun) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Malagasy: mpanjono — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Māori: kaihī — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Polish: wędkarz — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Portuguese: pescador esportivo — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Romanian: pescar — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Romanian: pescăriță — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Romanian: pescăreasă — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Russian: уди́льщик (udílʹščik) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Russian: рыба́к (rybák) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Russian: рыболо́в (rybolóv) — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Spanish: pescador — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Spanish: pescadora — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Turkish: balıkçı — person who fishes with a hook and line
  • Asturian: pixín — angler fish
  • Bulgarian: морски дявол (morski djavol) — angler fish
  • Catalan: rap — angler fish
  • Finnish: krotti — angler fish
  • Greek: πεσκανδρίτσα (peskandrítsa) — angler fish
  • Italian: rana pescatrice — angler fish
  • Norwegian: breiflabb — angler fish
  • Portuguese: tamboril — angler fish
  • Portuguese: peixe-pescador — angler fish
  • Russian: уди́льщик (udílʹščik) — angler fish
  • Russian: морско́й чёрт (morskój čort) — angler fish
  • Spanish: rape común — angler fish
  • Turkish: fener balığı — angler fish
  • Spanish: ulteriorator — person who schemes
  • Spanish: ulterioratriz — person who schemes
  • Bulgarian: джебчия (džebčija) — petty thief
Real reading context

angler in complete knowledge articles