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

Gilroy’s multi-ethnic roots, however, begin at its inception, when Scotsman John Gilroy became the first English-speaking settler of California, married Maria Clara Ortega – the daughter of a Spanish rancher, and then became a Mexican citizen. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 31 July 2026

The notion of zombies went back to that Caribbean nation’s days as a European colony, when huge numbers of largely African slaves were brutally disciplined and frequently worked to death by a white-settler minority. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 July 2026

As Jesuit missions and Spanish colonization took over the continent in the 16th century, mate was popularized across other countries and between settlers and natives alike to become the region’s largest export. — Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

During the incident, villagers came out of their homes to confront the settlers and a standoff ensued, with video appearing to show one of the Palestinians grabbing a settler’s weapon. — Reuters, NBC news, 27 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