ENGLISH
REFERENCE

boer

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈbɔɹ// boer Archaic Vulgar

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.


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.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Afrikaans Boer (“Boer”), from boer (“farmer”). Doublet of bauer, boor, and bower.

Etymology 2

From Dutch Boer, from boer (“farmer”).

Usage

Capitalised when referring to the specific ethnic group or historical faction.

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