frontiernoun & adjective
Meaning & use
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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
frontier is a borrowing from French.
Etymons: French frontier, frontiere.
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.
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frontier, n. & adj. was revised in September 2023.
frontier, n. & adj. was last modified in September 2025.
Revision of the OED is a long-term project, and oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into frontier, n. & adj. in September 2025.
Earlier versions of this entry were published in:
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