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Synonyms

herder

1 American  
[hur-der] / ˈhɜr dər /

noun

  1. a person in charge of a herd, especially of cattle or sheep.

Herder 2 American  
[her-duhr] / ˈhɛr dər /

noun

  1. Johann Gottfried von 1744–1803, German philosopher and poet.

Herder 1 British  
/ ˈhɛrdər /

noun

  1. Johann Gottfried von (joˈhan ˈɡɔtfriːt fɔn). 1744–1803, German philosopher, critic, and poet, the leading figure in the Sturm und Drang movement in German literature. His chief work is Outlines of a Philosophy of the History of Man (1784–91)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
herder 2 British  
/ ˈhɜːdə /

noun

  1. Brit equivalent: herdsman.  a person who cares for or drives herds of cattle or flocks of sheep, esp on an open range

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of herder

First recorded in 1625–35; herd 2 + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Aliyu Abdullahi Isa, a 25-year-old Fulani herder, knows the names of all the 20 white cattle grazing on the remains of dry stalks of maize.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

Namnyak, a Maasai herder in north Tanzania, fears a carbon credit scheme linked to Volkswagen -- dismissed by NGOs as "greenwashing" -- could destroy her community's way of life.

From Barron's • Nov. 10, 2025

Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, a former camel herder who commands the rebels.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

The cattle dog is a high-energy herder who thrives on activity.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 22, 2025

Once she dodged behind a brushpile as the town herder came by with some cows to pasture.

From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.