headhunter

noun

1. A person who practises headhunting, the taking and preserving of a person's head after killing them.

   “We were accommodated here in the verandah of the large house, in which were several great baskets of dried human heads, the trophies of past generations of head-hunters.”

   “Theirs was the spirit which upheld Darwin among the gauchos of the Argentine or Wallace among the head-hunters of Malaya.”

2. One who recruits skilled personnel, especially executive-level ones, for a company.

   “Near-synonyms: recruiter, talent scout”

   “A headhunter called me out of the blue with an offer I couldn't refuse.”

3. A pitcher who throws at the batter's head.

   “Thankfully, there aren't many headhunters in the modern game.”

4. A player who uses a hockey stick to attempt to strike an opponent's head.

   “He is known as a goon and a headhunter.”