English Reference
noun · verb

pioneer

n. · v.
US /ˌpaɪəˈnɪɹ/ UK /paɪənˈiə/ pi·o·neer UK spelling pioneered, pioneers

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.someone who is one of the first people to do something, such as start a new type of research or business.

    n.an individual who is among the earliest to explore, develop, or innovate within a specific field of inquiry or enterprise.

    Simple

    She was a pioneer in the field of heart surgery, saving many lives with her new techniques.

    In context

    As a pioneer of abstract expressionism, the artist challenged traditional notions of form and perspective long before the movement gained mainstream acceptance.

    followerimitator
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a person who goes to a new part of a country to live and work there.

    n.one of the first people to settle in a frontier region, typically preparing the way for future inhabitants.

    Simple

    The pioneers traveled across the plains in wagons to find new land in the west.

    In context

    The museum exhibits the rugged tools used by nineteenth-century pioneers who established farming communities in the remote wilderness.

    settlercolonistfrontiersman
  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical Military

    n.a soldier whose job is to build roads, bridges, and trenches to help the army move forward.

    n.a soldier tasked with engineering duties such as road construction and trench digging to facilitate the advance of an army.

    Simple

    The pioneers worked through the night to build a bridge across the river for the tanks.

    In context

    The battalion's pioneers were deployed to clear the debris and repair the supply routes damaged during the heavy bombardment.

    sapperengineer
  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.to be the first person to do or use something new.

    v.to be the first to develop or use a particular method, area of knowledge, or activity.

    Simple

    The company pioneered the use of solar energy in small electronics.

    In context

    The university pioneered a new approach to distance learning, integrating interactive digital platforms decades before they became industry standards.

US Olympic champion track star Florence Griffith Joyner, known as Flo-Jo, is often regarded as a pioneer of competing with long, vibrant nails back in the 1980s.

BBC News· 14 Aug 2026

Burnham could adopt approaches pioneered by the Greater Manchester authority to steer women away from prison for lower-level offences.

The Guardian· 11 Aug 2026
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated