pioneer

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 ~ (in / of sth) a person who is the first to study and develop a particular area of knowledge, culture, etc. that other people then continue to develop: a pioneer in the field of microsurgery * a computer pioneer * a pioneer aviator * a pioneer design (= one that introduces new ideas, methods, etc.) 2 one of the first people to go to a particular area in order to live and work there: the pioneer spirit verb [VN] when sb pioneers sth, they are one of the first people to do, discover or use sth new: a new technique pioneered by surgeons in a London hospital