frontier
frun-TEER
/ˈfrʌn.tɪər/
A line or border separating two countries; the extreme limit of settled land beyond which lies wilderness.
Often used metaphorically to describe the limits of human knowledge (e.g., 'the final frontier').
The story behind the word. The word literally means 'the part that faces forward.' Just as your forehead is the front of your face, the frontier is the 'face' of a civilization looking out into the unknown.
Word relationships
- border: A border is a legal line; a frontier is the region or zone around that line.
- boundary: Boundary is more general and can be abstract (e.g., boundaries of behavior).
- core: The central, well-established part of a region or field.
Commonly confused with
- backcountry: Backcountry is remote but not necessarily a border or a limit of knowledge.
Word family
- frontiersman (noun): A man living on the frontier.
Collocations
- final frontier
- expanding frontier
- frontier town
- scientific frontier
Example sentences
- "Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise." Space exploration.
- "Artificial intelligence represents the new frontier of computer science." Scientific progress.
Memory hook
The Frontier is at the 'Front' of the 'Tier' of civilization. The front edge of the unknown.
When not to use
Don't use it for a simple fence between houses; it implies a vast, unknown area beyond.
Fun facts
- The 'Frontier Thesis' is a famous historical theory that the American frontier shaped the nation's character.
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