settler

noun

set·​tler ˈse-tᵊl-ər 

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

Synonyms of settler

• pioneer
• colonist

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

The settlers were ordered to shoot-to-kill at anyone—armed or unarmed, man or woman—who crossed the plough line. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

The reboot’s creative team worked with Osage scholar and consultant Robert Warrior to draw inspiration for the characters of William Mitchell and his wife, White Sun, from 19 Osage families who lived in Kansas at the time settlers arrived. — Michael Gioia, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2026

This government has tolerated and facilitated settler violence against Palestinians. — Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026

The chef spent months traveling throughout the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, discovering local dishes inspired by the regions that the islands' settlers came from (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and more). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing settler

• settler-colonial
• settler colonialism
• settler-colonialist
• settler colony

Kids Definition

settler

noun

set·​tler ˈset-lər 

-ᵊl-ər

: a person who settles in a new region : colonist