A punter is someone who kicks a football in a specific way during a game. In American football, the punter's job is to kick the ball high and far down the field on fourth down, giving their team better field position by pushing the other team back. Unlike a field goal kicker who aims between the uprights, a punter drops the ball and kicks it before it hits the ground, trying to send it as far as possible while keeping it in bounds.

Good punters can change the game by pinning opponents deep in their own territory, making it harder for them to score. A great punt might travel 50 yards and stop near the opponent's goal line, while a poor punt might give the other team good field position to start their drive.

In British English, punter means something completely different: a customer or an ordinary person. A British shopkeeper might say “the punters seemed to like the new product,” meaning the customers enjoyed it. You might also hear someone described as “just another punter,” meaning an average person without special status or expertise.