herder

noun

herd·​er ˈhər-dər 

: one that herds

specifically : a person who manages, breeds, or tends to livestock : herdsman sense 1

Synonyms of herder

• herdsman
• cowboy
• shepherd

Examples of herder in a Sentence

the nomadic reindeer herders of Siberia live in reindeer-skin tents

Recent Examples on the Web

In southern India, for example, villagers are allowing – and even paying – herders to use their land in exchange for dung, the natural fertilizer that farmers need to produce higher-value organic crops. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026

Authorities have said the bandit groups include mostly former herders who took up arms against farming communities, after clashes between them over increasingly strained resources. — Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

These preliminary results underscore how heat, behavior and health all come together in real time for herders. — Anne Pisor, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026

The herder cared for Pantoja, keeping him warm with animal skins, teaching him to milk the goats, and how to hunt rabbits with a stick. — Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined above

Biographical Definition

Herder

biographical name

Her·​der ˈher-dər 

Johann Gottfried von 1744–1803 German philosopher