Word
boers
/ˈbɔɹz/
Countable noun
Definition
n. people of Dutch origin who settled in South Africa and farmed there. You see this word mostly in history books about the Boer Wars.
n. descendants of Dutch settlers in southern Africa, historically farmers and frontiersmen; central to 19th-century South African history and the Anglo-Boer Wars.
Examples
“History books explain how the boers farm and live.”
“The museum exhibit explains how the boers moved inland to set up independent farms.”
“Scholars still debate how the boers saw themselves as free farmers on the frontier while their expansion displaced communities already living on the land.”
Examples
simple
“History books explain how the boers farm and live.”
contextual
“The museum exhibit explains how the boers moved inland to set up independent farms.”
complex
“Scholars still debate how the boers saw themselves as free farmers on the frontier while their expansion displaced communities already living on the land.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “boers” in context.
Verb
01. boers resist
“The Boers resisted British expansion for more than two decades.”
noun + verb
02. boers surrender
“After Vereeniging, the Boers surrendered their independence.”
noun + verb
03. boers trek
“In the 1830s the Boers trekked north beyond colonial control.”
noun + verb
04. defeat boers
“British forces struggled for years to defeat the Boers completely.”
verb + noun
05. disarm boers
“After the surrender, the authorities moved to disarm the Boers.”
verb + noun
06. intern boers
“The army decided to intern the Boers in tented camps.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. calvinist boers
“The Calvinist Boers viewed their trek as a divine mission.”
adj + noun
08. cape boers
“Many Cape Boers sympathized with the republics during the war.”
adj + noun
09. frontier boers
“Frontier Boers lived in relative isolation from colonial authority.”
adj + noun
Noun
10. commando of boers
“A mobile commando of Boers ambushed the column at dawn.”
noun + prep + noun
11. republic of boers
“A small republic of Boers was proclaimed beyond the Vaal River.”
noun + prep + noun
12. confine boers to camps
“The military policy sought to confine Boers to camps to cut supplies.”
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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