innovator

American  

[in-uh-vay-ter] / ˈɪn əˌveɪ tər /

noun

• innovators
  plural

1. a person or group that introduces something new or does something for the first time.

   He is a true pioneer and innovator who always pushes the boundaries and follows his visions.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• innovators
  plural

Etymology

Origin of innovator

First recorded in 1590–1600; Late Latin innovātor, equivalent to Latin innovāt(us) + -or -or ² ( def. ); see innovate ( def. )

Explanation

Innovators innovate — that is, they create new ideas or ways of doing things. The Wright brothers were the ultimate innovators: they were the first to fly. The Unites States has a reputation as a country of innovators because, for generations, many of the world's most exciting new ideas came from its people and companies. Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, Mark Zuckerberg: these are just three of the innovators who pioneered whole new technologies and industries. No one had thought the way they did before. Anyone who blazes a trail into new territory can be an innovator — athletes, artists, business people, and chefs, to name just a few.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

innovator innovators

But Hockney - the great innovator - just went back to painting.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

Once known more as a technology copycat than as an innovator, China now offers returnees a chance to work in cutting-edge industries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

Jobs was known as a creative visionary, a fiery innovator who launched the iPhone and other iconic products.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026

The future of Apple is being entrusted to a company veteran said to combine hardware brilliance with "the soul of an innovator."

From Barron's ● Apr. 21, 2026

New York City was a clear innovator in police strategies during the 1990s crime drop, and it also enjoyed the greatest decline in crime of any large American city.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Yamal suggested his move to Adidas gave him the chance to stand out from Nike's star-studded roster, while Mbappé said On would see him "surrounded by innovators who dream of the same things I do".

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

It also aims to help build a broader bioengineered, silicon-based materials ecosystem by connecting researchers, industry partners, policymakers, educators, and future innovators across multiple disciplines and sectors.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

“We’re giving innovators room to build and test at the port,” he said in an interview.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

There was just one problem: That conference boasted one of the greatest collections of pro-level quarterbacks and coaching innovators the sport had ever seen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Thus the printing press strengthened the hand of the innovators by making it possible for them to pool information and work together.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton