One who seeks to win a fortune; esp. one who tries to capture an heiress.
1689. J. Carlisle (title), The Fortune Hunters, or two Fools well met, a Comedy.
1755. Gentl. Mag., XXV. 111. Several Irish brigades … may be formed out of those able bodied men which are called Fortune-hunters.
1838. Lytton, Alice, I. I. x. 36. If she were of our sex, [she] would make a capital fortune-hunter.
So Fortune-hunting vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., v. There is no character more contemptible than a man that is a fortune-hunter; and I can see no reason why fortune-hunting women should not be contemptible too.
1793. Mrs. Eliza Parsons, Woman as she should be, II. 122. Poor Harry … is gone a fortune hunting to India.
1870. Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. I. (1873), 125. Perhaps if the clergyman-cure were faithfully tried upon the next fortune-hunting count with a large real estate in whiskers and an imaginary one in Barataria, he also might vanish, leaving a strong smell of barber’s-shop, and taking with him a body that will come to the gallows in due time.
