pionnier
pioneer, trailblazer
noun pyoh-NYEH Rare
Origin: Old French paonier (foot soldier), from Latin pes (foot)
Usage Note
Pionnier carries the dual sense of an early settler and a figurative innovator in any field. The feminine form is pionnière. In Quebec history, les pionniers specifically refers to the early European settlers of New France.
Examples
"Elle est la pionnière de cette technologie."
Natural Translation
She is the pioneer of this technology.

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