pioneer

Everyday

1. noun: One of the first people to explore or settle in a new land. tree →
2. noun: One of the first people to do something new, such as in science or art: "a pioneer of flight". tree →
3. verb: To be the first to do, invent or use something. tree →
4. (pioneering, adjective) New and leading the way. tree →

In the lessons

In history, pioneers settled the American West and parts of Canada and Australia, often on land where Indigenous peoples already lived. In science and technology, pioneers like the Wright brothers (flight) or Ada Lovelace (programming) lead the way. In plants, pioneer species are the first to grow on bare ground.

Examples

• Pioneers travelled west in covered wagons. tree →
• Ada Lovelace was a pioneer of computer programming. tree →
• The hospital pioneered a new heart operation. tree →
• Marie Curie did pioneering work on radioactivity. tree →
• Lichens are pioneer plants on bare rock. tree →
• The settlers were called pioneers, though Indigenous people already lived there. tree →

Note

Countable noun; regular verb. Pronounced "pie-uh-NEER". In history, remember that "new" land for pioneers was often home to other people already.