Word
boer
Phoneticsboer
/ˈbɔɹ/
Definition
n. a person of Dutch or Huguenot descent in South Africa, especially a farmer. The word comes from the Dutch word for farmer.
n. a member of the Dutch-descended population of South Africa, historically associated with agricultural life and the frontier. Often used in historical contexts regarding the South African Wars.
Examples
“The Boer farmers moved inland to find new land.”
“Historical accounts of the region often detail the conflicts between Boer settlers and the British Empire during the nineteenth century.”
“The cultural identity of the Boer population was forged through a combination of Calvinist religious tradition and the harsh realities of frontier life in the Cape Colony.”
Examples
simple
“The Boer farmers moved inland to find new land.”
contextual
“Historical accounts of the region often detail the conflicts between Boer settlers and the British Empire during the nineteenth century.”
complex
“The cultural identity of the Boer population was forged through a combination of Calvinist religious tradition and the harsh realities of frontier life in the Cape Colony.”
Usage
Capitalised when referring to the specific ethnic group or historical faction.
Etymology
From Afrikaans Boer (“Boer”), from boer (“farmer”). Doublet of bauer, boor, and bower.
From Dutch Boer, from boer (“farmer”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/boer