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pioneer

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pioneer

Main Entry:: ¹pi·o·neer
Pronunciation:: \ˌpī-ə-ˈnir\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Middle French pionier, from Old French peonier foot soldier, from peon foot soldier, from Medieval Latin pedon-, pedo — more at pawn
Date:: 1523

1: a member of a military unit usually of construction engineers2 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 b: one of the first to settle in a territory3: a plant or animal capable of establishing itself in a bare, barren, or open area and initiating an ecological cycle

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