Someone who opens a new field of activity or development.
Played on · Day 31 · word 3 of 5
A trailblazer with a military past
How pioneer reached English
oldest first
Late Latin
pedō
‘person going on foot’
into Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin
pedonem
‘foot soldier’
into Old French
Old French
peon / pion
‘foot soldier’
within Old French
Old French
peonier / pionier
‘foot soldier, laborer tasked with excavation’
into Middle French
Middle French
pionnier
‘worker employed on field fortifications who accompanies an army’
into English
English
pioneer
The story of pioneer
Middle French pionnier named a worker on field fortifications accompanying an army. Its older French family includes words for a foot soldier. English retains a military sense alongside its familiar innovator sense.
Spellings joined by a slash are alternatives. The historical military meaning did not simply disappear.