pioneer

plural pioneers

1. One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.
2. A person or other entity who is first or among the earliest in any field of inquiry, enterprise, or progress.

   Certain politicians can be considered as pioneers of reform.

   2 more examples

   Some people will consider their national heroes to be pioneers of civilization.

   As towns continue to grow, replanting vegetation has become a form of urban utopia and green roofs are spreading fast. Last year 1m square metres of plant-covered roofing was built in France, as much as in the US, and 10 times more than in Germany, the pioneer in this field.

   2013 May 10, Audrey Garric, “Urban canopies let nature bloom”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 22, page 30

3. governmentA soldier detailed or employed to form roads, dig trenches, and make bridges, as an army advances; a sapper.

   [King of] Fess. What thinks your greatnes beſt to be atchieu’d In purſuit of the Cities ouerthrow? Bai[azeth]. I wil the captiue Pioners of Argier, Cut off the water, that by leaden pipes Runs to the citie from the mountain Carnon, […]

   c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene i

4. A member of any of several European organizations advocating abstinence from alcohol.
5. communismA member of a children’s organization operated by the Communist Party, typically in the second of three stages toward becoming a member of the Party itself.
6. SingaporeAlternative letter-case form of Pioneer (“A Singaporean born on or before 31 December 1949, who is entitled to various healthcare and social support schemes.”).

   A fenceless open-air museum […] that captures the spirit and struggles of Singapore's pioneer generation.

   2017 March 14, Kelly Ng, “New showcase to seek views on Founders’ Memorial”, in Today, Singapore: Mediacorp Press, →OCLC, page 11

   1 more example

   Perhaps the pioneer generation, having experienced unity in solidarity, will show the rest of Singapore the way.

   2014 February 12, Theresa Goh, “Let’s reward all our pioneers equally”, in Today, Singapore: Mediacorp Press, →OCLC, page 20

present singular third person pioneers · participle present pioneering · participle past pioneered · past pioneered

1. transitiveTo be the first to do or achieve (something), preparing the way for others to follow.

   The young doctor pioneered a new life-saving surgical technique.

   Synonyms: push the envelope, break new ground

plural Pioneers

1. SingaporeA person born on or before 31 December 1949 and possessing Singapore citizenship on or before 31 December 1986, given this status and certain benefits to recognise their contributions to Singapore's early development.First known use since 2013

   Now they are trying hard, working hard, in trying to "give back" […] to the older people classified as "pioneer generations" […]

   2014, Zanzibar [pseudonym], soc.culture.singapore (Usenet)

   1 more example

   As someone from the Pioneer Generation, I have experienced much hardship […] from the scourge of water-rationing in the 1960s […]

   2017 March 15, Jeffrey Law Lee Beng, “Saving water is everyone’s moral duty”, in Today, Singapore: Mediacorp Press, →OCLC, page 40

1. A census-designated place in Amador County, California, United States.
2. A planning area in the West Region of Singapore.
3. A locality in Dorset council area, north eastern Tasmania, Australia.