pioneer

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
pioneer/pʌɪəˈnɪə(r)/

▶noun

• 1 a person who is the first to explore or settle a new country or area.

• 2 an innovator or developer of new ideas or techniques.

• 3 a member of an infantry group preparing roads or terrain for the main body of troops.

▶verb

• 1 be a pioneer of.

• 2 open up (a road or terrain) as a pioneer.

– derivatives
pioneering adjective.

– origin C16: from Fr. pionnier ‘foot soldier, pioneer’.