Frontier
noun /ˈfrʌntɪə/ — The edge of the known; the border between explored and unexplored territory.
Definition
The border between a settled, known territory and the unknown beyond — the edge of the map, the limit of current knowledge, the point beyond which something new begins.
Beyond the definition
Frontier carries something essential in the human spirit: the combination of what is known and what is not. It is simultaneously a place and a condition. Every generation has its frontiers — geographical, intellectual, personal. The frontier is wherever you stop knowing.
Origin & history
Old French 'frontiere' — from 'front' (forehead/face), from Latin 'frons' (forehead). The frontier is where territory faces something other — the edge that faces out.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The frontier of what she knew moved every year.
Space is the final frontier only in the geographical sense — the mind has several more.
He was drawn to frontier towns, where everything was still being decided.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Frontier” when the meaning fits your context: The border between a settled, known territory and the unknown beyond — the edge of the map, the limit of current knowledge, the point beyond which something new begins.
Synonyms
boundary, border, edge, threshold, limit
Antonyms
interior, heartland
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Frontier" mean?
Frontier is noun meaning: The edge of the known; the border between explored and unexplored territory.. The border between a settled, known territory and the unknown beyond — the edge of the map, the limit of current knowledge, the point beyond which something new begins.
Where does the word "Frontier" come from?
Old French 'frontiere' — from 'front' (forehead/face), from Latin 'frons' (forehead). The frontier is where territory faces something other — the edge that faces out.