English
pioneer
Pioneer comes from Middle French pionnier ‘foot soldier’, from Old French peon ‘foot soldier’, from Late Latin pedō ‘pedestrian’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ped- ‘to walk’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ped-‘to walk’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pṓds‘foot’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pets‘foot’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpēs‘foot’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEpedōas pedōnem‘pedestrian’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400peon‘foot soldier’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400peonier‘foot soldier’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600pionnier‘foot soldier’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588pioneer
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ped-‘to walk’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pṓds‘foot’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pets‘foot’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpēs‘foot’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEpedōas pedōnem‘pedestrian’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400peon‘foot soldier’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400peonier‘foot soldier’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600pionnier‘foot soldier’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588pioneer
Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “[King of] Fess. What thinks your greatnes beſt to…”
Linked words
pairs
- pioneer and pawn both from Late Latin pedō ‘pedestrian’
through Proto-Indo-European *ped- ‘to walk, to step’
pilot, expedition, fetch, impeachment, footing, footed, expedite, ped, fet, pada, fetter, 48 more
through Proto-Indo-European *pṓds ‘foot’
foot, feet, podium, pew, pug, baht, puy, poy, tripos, 37 more
through Proto-Italic *pets ‘foot’
through Latin pēs ‘foot’
pedestrian, pedal, pedigree, impede, impediment, pes, centipede, pedicure, petiole, expeditious, pedicel, pedometer, pedicle, biped, 12 more
through Late Latin pedō ‘pedestrian’
Today it means
noun One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ped- / pioneer