poacher
UK: ˈpəʊtʃə | US: ˈpoʊtʃər
n. 1. A person who hunts or catches game or fish illegally.
n. 2. A utensil for cooking eggs by poaching.
n. 3. (Historical) A person who trespasses to steal or occupy land.
The word "poacher" derives from the verb "poach," which entered Middle English from Old French "pochier" (to thrust, poke, or encroach). The original sense referred to pushing or trampling boundaries—later specialized to illegal hunting (17th century). The "-er" suffix marks the agent (one who performs the action). The cooking utensil sense (19th century) metaphorically extends the idea of "softly encroaching" onto eggs in hot water.
The park ranger arrested a poacher with illegally hunted deer.
She used a silicone poacher to make perfectly shaped eggs.
In medieval times, poachers often targeted royal forests.
Wildlife conservationists work to reduce poacher activity.
The chef demonstrated how to use an egg poacher effectively.