herder

noun

herd·​er ˈhər-dər How to pronounce herder (audio)
: one that herds
specifically : a person who manages, breeds, or tends to livestock : herdsman sense 1

Examples of herder in a Sentence

the nomadic reindeer herders of Siberia live in reindeer-skin tents
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During the transition to an open market under the new democracy, coupled with the low demand for camel products like milk and wool, herders found their camels were worth more for their meat. Matt Dutile, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2025 Originally bred to work as herders on farms, border collies kept as family pets have retained their herding eye due to instinct—as proven by a viral video to Kelsie's account. Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025 In 1874, when a friend suggested that Hagenbeck display Indigenous Sami herders alongside his next shipment of Scandinavian reindeer, the impresario needed no convincing. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2025 This sort of language reminds cattle herder Ghulam Qadir Parray, who lives close to the LoC in Balkote village, of past wars. Fahad Shah, Christian Science Monitor, 5 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for herder

Word History

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of herder was in 1635

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Cite this Entry

“Herder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herder. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Biographical Definition

Herder

biographical name

Her·​der ˈher-dər How to pronounce Herder (audio)
Johann Gottfried von 1744–1803 German philosopher

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