settler

noun

set·​tler ˈse-tᵊl-ər How to pronounce settler (audio)
ˈset-lər
1
: one that settles something
a settler of disputes
2
: someone who settles in a new region or colony
the first settlers of New England

Examples of settler in a Sentence

settlers learning to live in peace with the natives in 1889 Jane Addams, in an effort to provide Chicago's latest wave of settlers with much-needed services, founded the city's first settlement house
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.
There had been previous attempts to tell his story, or at least his part in the story of Western settlers in Africa. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2025 Which is how the trees came to Virginia and Tennessee with British settlers. Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025 Indigenous Peoples’ Day refuses the inevitability of a settler future and insists instead on ReMatriation, survivance, and justice. JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025 Recipes for pumpkin bread date back to the 1830s and experts trace its roots to early American settlers who adapted European spice breads and puddings using the gourd popular among Native American tribes. Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for settler

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of settler was in 1598

Cite this Entry

“Settler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/settler. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

settler

noun
set·​tler ˈset-lər How to pronounce settler (audio)
-ᵊl-ər
: a person who settles in a new region : colonist

More from Merriam-Webster on settler

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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