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• ranger
  ranger

  noun

  forest ranger.
• Ranger
  Ranger

  noun

  a member of the senior branch of the Guides

ranger

American  

[rayn-jer] / ˈreɪn dʒər /

noun

• rangers
  plural

1. forest ranger.

2. one of a body of armed guards who patrol a region.

3. (initial capital letter) a U.S. soldier in World War II specially trained for making surprise raids and attacks in small groups.

4. a soldier specially trained in the techniques of guerrilla warfare, especially in jungle terrain.

5. a person who ranges or roves.

6. (especially in Texas) a member of the state police.

7. British. a keeper of a royal forest or park.

8. Building Trades. wale.

9. (initial capital letter) one of a series of instrumented U.S. space probes launched in the 1960s that transmitted closeup pictures of the moon before impacting the lunar surface.

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ranger ¹ British  

/ ˈreɪndʒə /

noun

1. (sometimes capital) an official in charge of a forest, park, estate, nature reserve, etc

2. Brit equivalent: warden. a person employed to patrol a State or national park or forest

3. one of a body of armed troops employed to police a State or district

   a Texas Ranger

4. (in the US and certain other armies) a commando specially trained in making raids

5. a person who wanders about large areas of country; a rover

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Ranger ² British  

/ ˈreɪndʒə /

noun

1. a member of the senior branch of the Guides

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Ranger ³ British  

/ ˈreɪndʒə /

noun

1. any of a series of nine American lunar probes launched between 1961 and 1965, three of which transmitted to earth photographs of the moon

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underranger
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• rangers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ranger

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at range, -er ¹

Explanation

A ranger is a person who takes care of a park or a piece of land. A park ranger makes sure the rules are followed and provides information to visitors. Someone who takes a job as a forest ranger might patrol an area of wooded land, watching for fire danger and enforcing the rules. A ranger's tasks can vary from teaching kids about local plants and animals to fighting fires to arresting people who break laws in a state or national park. The original rangers were British employees of the king or queen who would "range" throughout the woods looking for poachers — people who illegally hunted on royal land.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ranger Ranger rangers

With break-in season officially over, the ranger station at Mineral King posted a sign advising visitors they no longer needed to tarp and asking them not to borrow any more from their stash.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Peak District National Park Authority ranger Kate Wilson, 40, from Buxton in the county, has been just one of those searching for hotspots in the peatland, and helping to keep the flames from spreading.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

In April, the Superior Court dismissed the three citations Hubbard received in May 2025 when no park ranger or city attorney appeared for the prosecution, his lawsuit states.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

Richard Kinsey, senior biodiversity ranger at the Department of Conservation, was part of the dive team that encountered the coral.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026

I had been told by the British game ranger in charge of Gombe not to travel about the mountains by myself—except near camp.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall

Her husband, Cameron Friscia, is a former Army Ranger who served in Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

The former Army Ranger made a similar gamble with his current company, Blitzy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

It was “traumatizing, seeing that stuff on display for so long and then seeing it come down,” said James Ranger, a veteran hotel tour guide and Mission Inn Foundation docent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

Residents and postal workers had contacted him, Ranger said, about delivery problems which he had raised with UK government business minister Blair McDougall.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

But what could even a Ranger see except a confused trail of orc-feet?

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Backpack, a 20-year-old male beloved by rangers in Alaska for his quiet determination, edged out female fellow finalist Dancing Queen in the annual ursine eating competition at Katmai National Park.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

They represent park rangers, scientists and other professionals who keep visitors safe, maintain trails and facilities, monitor wildlife and help communities prepare for disasters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

The department shares jurisdiction of Sunset Cliffs with the San Diego Police Department and rangers with the city Department of Parks and Recreation, said Candace Hadley, Fire-Rescue public information officer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Malgana elders, rangers and community members continue to care for country in Shark Bay by protecting wildlife and restoring the land.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026

All were seasoned rangers, armed with obsidian as well as steel, warhoms slung across their saddles should they need to summon help.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin