frontier

American  

[fruhn-teer, fron-, fruhn-teer] / frʌnˈtɪər, frɒn-, ˈfrʌn tɪər /

noun

1. the part of a country that borders another country; boundary; border.

2. the land or territory that forms the furthest extent of a country's settled or inhabited regions.

3. Often frontiers.

   1. the limit of knowledge or the most advanced achievement in a particular field.

      the frontiers of physics.

   2. an outer limit in a field of endeavor, especially one in which the opportunities for research and development have not been exploited.

      the frontiers of space exploration.

4. Mathematics. boundary.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or located on the frontier.

   a frontier town.

frontier British  

/ frʌnˈtɪə, ˈfrʌntɪə /

noun

1. 1. the region of a country bordering on another or a line, barrier, etc, marking such a boundary

   2. ( as modifier )

      a frontier post

2. 1. the edge of the settled area of a country

   2. ( as modifier )

      the frontier spirit

3. (often plural) the limit of knowledge in a particular field

   the frontiers of physics have been pushed back

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Related Words

See boundary.

Other Word Forms

• frontierless adjective
• frontierlike adjective
• semifrontier noun
• transfrontier adjective

Etymology

Origin of frontier

1350–1400; Middle English frounter < Old French frontier, equivalent to front (in the sense of opposite side; see front) + -ier -ier ²

Explanation

A frontier represents uncharted territory. It could be a remote piece of land or a new field of study, but if someone calls it "the frontier," you are challenged to explore it. The noun frontier has several meanings. It can refer to the wilderness at the edge of a settled area (picture covered wagons pushing westward) or it can mean a field of study that has not yet been explored (picture genetically engineering pet dinosaurs). Deriving from "the front line of an army," a frontier can be thought of as an offensive line in a battle — always pushing forward, trying to conquer new territory.

Example Sentences

Mr. Stark, the author of several books about the American frontier, smoothly alternates between Spanish and Native American perspectives as he brings to life his cast of characters along with their aspirations and conflicts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

When the expedition departed, Coronado left behind his 16-year-old wife, Beatríz, whom he had married when she was 12, along with their two small children and a governorship on the frontier of New Spain.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Demand loss is being seen chiefly in the Middle East, in Asian frontier economies and in Africa, where there is little surplus and scant ability to absorb higher costs.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026

“AI infrastructure demand has largely been driven by a concentrated group of hyperscalers and frontier model companies,” Daryanani wrote, using Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Anthropic as examples.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

By 1914, an altitude record of over eleven hundred feet had been achieved and flight would provide a whole new frontier for people around the world.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler