# boers

/ˈbɔɹz/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/boers
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

people of Dutch origin who settled in South Africa and farmed there. You see this word mostly in history books about the Boer Wars.

For teachers: 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.