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Revised 2023 More entries for frontier

frontiernoun & adjective

What does the word frontier mean?

There are 20 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word frontier, ten of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

frontier has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

military (Middle English) fortification (Middle English) religion (mid 1500s) gunnery and firearms (1910s)
See meaning & use

How common is the word frontier?

About 20occurrences per million words in modern written English
See frequency

What is the etymology of the word frontier?

frontier is a borrowing from French.

Etymons: French frontier, frontiere.

See etymology

What is the earliest known use of the word frontier?

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the word frontier is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for frontier is from around 1425, in the writing of John Lydgate, poet and prior of Hatfield Regis.

See meaning & use

How is the word frontier pronounced?

British English

/frʌnˈtɪə/
frun-TEER
/ˈfrʌntɪə/
FRUN-teer

U.S. English

/ˌfrənˈtɪ(ə)r/
frun-TEER
See pronunciation

Nearby entries

  1. front-firing, adj.1956–
  2. front flight, n. & adj.1842–
  3. front flip, n.1893–
  4. front-flip, v.1926–
  5. front foot, n. & adj.1754–
  6. front four, n.1962–
  7. front garden, n.1715–
  8. front gate, n.1713–
  9. front-handed, adj.1843–
  10. fronthaul, n.2002–
  11. frontier, n. & adj.c1425–
  12. frontier, v.1579–
  13. Frontier Colt, n.1891–
  14. frontiering, n.1890–
  15. frontiering, adj.c1600–23
  16. frontierism, n.1849–
  17. frontier justice, n.1823–
  18. frontierless, adj.1838–
  19. frontier market, n.1987–
  20. frontier post, n.1687–
  21. frontiersman, n.1586–
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