Pioneer meaning

pīə-nîr
pioneered pioneering pioneers
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Frequency:
The definition of a pioneer is the first person or people to do something, such as explore new territory, test a theory or create a product.

The early Americans who set out to settle in the west are examples of pioneers.

noun
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One who opens up new areas of thought, research, or development.

A pioneer in aviation.

noun
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4
One who ventures into unknown or unclaimed territory to settle.
noun
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A soldier who performs construction and demolition work in the field to facilitate troop movements.
noun
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Leading the way; trailblazing.

A pioneer treatment for cancer.

adjective
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2
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Of, relating to, or characteristic of early settlers.

The pioneer spirit.

adjective
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A person who goes before, preparing the way for others, as an early settler or a scientist doing exploratory work.
noun
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One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.
noun
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A plant, animal, etc. that starts a new cycle of life in a barren area.
noun
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1
A species that is typically among the first to become established in a bare, open, or disturbed area.
noun
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Being one of the first of its kind.
adjective
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To prepare or open (a way, etc.)
verb
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To be a pioneer.
verb
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To act as a pioneer.

Pioneered in development of the laser.

verb
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(archaic) A member of a military engineer unit trained to construct or demolish bridges, roads, trenches, etc.
noun
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To be a pioneer in or of.
verb
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A person or other entity who is first or among the earliest in any field of inquiry, enterprise, or progress.

Some people will consider their national heroes to be pioneers of civilization.

Certain politicians can be considered as pioneers of reform.

noun
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A member of any of several European organizations advocating abstinence from alcohol.
noun
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(communism) A child of 10-16 years in the former Soviet Union, in the second of the three stages in becoming a member of the Communist Party.
noun
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To go before and prepare or open a way for; to act as pioneer.
verb
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Of or characteristic of the settlers of a new territory.
adjective
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To initiate or participate in the development of.

Surgeons who pioneered organ transplants.

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Origin of pioneer

  • French pionnier from Old French peonier foot soldier from peon from Medieval Latin pedō pedōn- from Late Latin one who has broad feet from Latin pēs ped- foot ped- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Middle French pionier (“originally, a foot soldier"), Old French peonier, from peon (“a foot soldier") (modern French: pion). See pawn in chess.

    From Wiktionary

Pioneer Sentence Examples

  • He was the pioneer of British canoeing.

  • Atlanta owes its origin to the development of pioneer railroads of Georgia.

  • For Dr. Howe is the great pioneer on whose work that of Miss Sullivan and other teachers of the deaf-blind immediately depends.

  • He was a pioneer in the fields of patrology and of biblical archaeology.

  • James calls his work the "last word" of the earlier stage of psychology, but he was in reality the pioneer of the new.

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