Pioneer Meaning
/ˌpaɪ.əˈnɪə(ɹ)/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounOne who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.
nounA person or other entity who is first or among the earliest in any field of inquiry, enterprise, or progress.
Sentence Examples
Pioneer men and women had a hard life, and so did their children.
He is what we call a pioneer.
A pioneer in the field of microsurgery
CEFR Practice Quiz
The young scientist became a ____ in the field of genetic research by discovering a new method.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She was a true ____ in the field of genetic research, publishing groundbreaking work in the 1970s.
Word Origin & History
From Middle French pionnier (“originally, a foot soldier”), Old French peonier, from peon (“a foot soldier”) (modern French: pion). See pawn (in chess).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"As towns continue to grow, replanting vegetation has become a form of urban utopia and green roofs are spreading fast. Last year 1m square metres of plant-covered roofing was built in France, as much as in the US, and 10 times more than in Germany, the pioneer in this field."
— 2013 May 10, Audrey Garric, “Urban canopies let nature bloom”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 22, page 30:
"[King of] Fess. What thinks your greatnes beſt to be atchieu’d
In purſuit of the Cities ouerthrow?
Bai[azeth]. I wil the captiue Pioners of Argier,
Cut off the water, that by leaden pipes
Runs to the citie from the mountain Carnon, […]"
— c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene i:
"Perhaps the pioneer generation, having experienced unity in solidarity, will show the rest of Singapore the way."
— 2014 February 12, Theresa Goh, “Let’s reward all our pioneers equally”, in Today, Singapore: Mediacorp Press, →OCLC, page 20:
"A fenceless open-air museum […] that captures the spirit and struggles of Singapore's pioneer generation."
— 2017 March 14, Kelly Ng, “New showcase to seek views on Founders’ Memorial”, in Today, Singapore: Mediacorp Press, →OCLC, page 11:
"Now they are trying hard, working hard, in trying to "give back" […] to the older people classified as "pioneer generations" […]"
— 2014, Zanzibar [pseudonym], soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The young scientist became a ____ in the field of genetic research by discovering a new method.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She was a true ____ in the field of genetic research, publishing groundbreaking work in the 1970s.