ranger

American  

[reyn-jer] / ˈreɪn dʒər /

noun

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

• underranger noun

Etymology

Origin of ranger

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

Example Sentences

When in doubt, call the ranger station before heading out.

From Los Angeles Times

Immediately after the fire ignited, California State Parks staffers exchanged worried notes via text and a park ranger was dispatched to the command post.

From Los Angeles Times

Betty Reid Soskin, who rose to national prominence as the National Park Service’s oldest ranger and shared her experiences of racial segregation working on the World War II home front, has died.

From Los Angeles Times

A new ranger is being sought for a tiny uninhabited island in the north west Highlands.

From BBC

The lake is much smaller compared with previous years, and there’s no way to tell how long it will last, said Death Valley park ranger Nichole Andler.

From Los Angeles Times