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frontiersman

frontiersman

2 8.9
A man who lives at the edge of settled land and explores new areas
  • noun
  • /frʌnˈtɪrzˌmæn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : pionero
  • And, of course, Jackson ascends as the ultimate American hero through his Anglo identities of brave savior, innocent defender, and frontiersman.
  • frontiersman Davy Crockett
  • frontiersman Hawkeye
  • frontiersman hero

They're always frontiersmen or people inhabiting a land beyond a frontier.

Examples

  • He's ill at ease not being in command, following the lead of some half-Indian frontiersman through a foreign wilderness.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The frontiersman safeguards the perimeter, the gentleman-thief prevents internal degeneration, but only the Superman has evolved into something new.

    Academic text (2014)
  • Just you don't strike me as much of a frontiersman.

  • There hasn't been a frontiersman in my family since the end of the Civil War some four centuries back.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Lean and muscular with a vulpine grin, he endears himself to the group at camp by producing an axe and chopping firewood like a frontiersman.

    Academic text (2009)
  • The frontiersman navigated through the dense forests in search of new land for his family.

  • As a skilled frontiersman, he built a sturdy cabin amidst the wilderness of the expanding territory.

  • Inspired by tales of adventure, the young frontiersman set out to explore the uncharted lands to the west.

Synonyms

explorer
vsfrontiersman
131 2.8

A person who travels to unknown places to learn about them

often travels briefly for research rather than living through expansion in new territory
pioneer
vsfrontiersman
36 4.4

A person who is among the first to move to and prepare new land

lives or explores new territory during expansion rather than just settling early
pathfinder
vsfrontiersman
12 6.8

A person who finds a safe way through unknown or difficult land

lives or explores new territory during expansion rather than only finding routes
mountain man
vsfrontiersman
  • US
7 6.5

A man who lives in the mountains or other wild places and can hunt and survive

is about living and exploring new territory during expansion rather than general wilderness life
backwoodsman
vsfrontiersman
  • US
1 8.4

A man who lives alone in a remote forest area

is linked to settlement and exploration of new territory rather than isolated forest dwelling

Antonyms

1 4.8

A man who lives in a town or city

How Experienced

pioneer
36 4.4
frontiersman
  • Archaic
2 8.9
trapper
24 5.8
homesteader
  • Archaic
7 6.9
visitor
908 1.0

Surface Forms

frontiersman singular
frontiersmen plural

Morphology

frontiersman = frontier + man (transparent) = frontier + man

Clearly formed from 'frontier' + 'man' (with a linking -s-), meaning 'a man of the frontier' which a learner can derive from the components.

Etymology

Frontiersman comes from frontier, which is related to the familiar word front meaning 'edge' or 'border', plus -man meaning 'person'. So a frontiersman is literally a person who lives or explores at the 'edge' of settled land.