释义 |
pi·o·neer I. \|pīə|ni(ə)r, -iə\ noun (-s) Etymology: Middle French pionier, pionnier, from Old French peonier foot soldier, from peon, pion foot soldier (from Medieval Latin pedon-, pedo) + -ier -er — more at pawn 1. a. : a member of a military unit usually of engineers equipped and trained especially for road building, temporary bridging, demolitions b. obsolete : one that excavates or undermines 2. : one that begins or helps develop something new and prepares a way for others to follow: a. : a person or group that originates or helps open up a new line of thought or activity or a new method or technical development < broke decidedly with the prevailing theological views and became the pioneer of a new order — C.A.Dinsmore > < a pioneer in oceanography > < a pioneer in the development of radar > b. : one of the first to settle in a primitive territory : an early settler 3. usually capitalized : a member of the Russian Communist youth organization for boys and girls in the 10 to 16 year age group — compare komsomol, octobrist 4. : a plant or animal capable of establishing itself in a bare or barren area (as after a burn) and initiating a new ecological cycle 5. or pioneer publisher usually capitalized both Ps : a full-time worker of the Jehovah's Witnesses II. adjective 1. : first of a kind : earliest, original < a pioneer model improved by later inventions > < one of the pioneer institutions in America for the education of young women — S.P.Chase & J.K.Snyder > 2. : of or relating to a pioneer; especially : of, relating to, or characteristic of early settlers or their time < pioneer days > < a pioneer village > < pioneer conditions > 3. : being a pioneer < settled on the frontier as a pioneer merchant > < the pioneer exponent of ballet on ice — Current Biography > 4. usually capitalized : of or relating to a culture in the southwestern United States about the beginning of the Christian era characterized by a squarish semisubterranean house having an entrance passage and a roof supported by four posts, the beginning of agriculture and pottery, and cremation III. verb (-ed/-ing/-s) intransitive verb : to act as a pioneer : lead the way < group which pioneered in the development of the modern art movement — Current Biography > transitive verb 1. : to open or prepare (as a way or region) for others to follow : explore < Portugal, which had done so much to pioneer the outer ocean — Marjory S. Douglas > also : settle < an important distributing center for the farmers who pioneered the region > 2. : to originate or take part in the development of (as a new enterprise, course of action, or style) < pioneer some of the first big natural-gas developments in north Texas — T.H.White b. 1915 > < she pioneered the short haircut for women > 3. : to lead safely : guide |