voyageur

noun

: a man employed by a fur company to transport goods to and from remote stations especially in the Canadian Northwest

Examples of voyageur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Both a Parks Canada national historic site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau meanders through the Ontario backcountry along a route pioneered centuries ago by First Nations people and French voyageurs. Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024 Viewing by Voyageur Canoe Narwal Northern Adventures offers a unique early-season aurora-viewing experience from a 29-foot, 12-person voyageur canoe. Debbie Olsen, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2023 During the fur trade period, waterways were highways and canoes were used by voyageurs to transport men and furs. Debbie Olsen, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2023 The Isle a la Cache Museum offers a glimpse at what life was like hundreds of years ago with Native American and French voyageur artifacts. Annie Alleman, chicagotribune.com, 9 July 2021 Pioneering Chicago muralist John Norton was commissioned to paint the original canvasses of a voyageur, steamboat captain, railroad surveyor and laborer. Shannon Prather, Star Tribune, 19 Aug. 2020 Thousand Island Paddling Trail, Ontario Emulate the French voyageurs of old on this 50-mile (80.47 km) kayak/canoe trail down the St. Lawrence River between Kingston and Brockville, Ontario. Joe Yogerst, National Geographic, 18 Apr. 2019 Learn how the French voyageurs and Potawatomi were connected, feel a beaver pelt, see canoes built of birch bark and walk inside a wigwam. Annie Alleman, chicagotribune.com, 13 May 2018 The voyageurs, manageurs du lard, and bourgeois that MacKenzie worked with had already discovered and mapped much of the continent by then. Porter Fox, Outside Online, 19 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'voyageur.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Canadian French, from French, traveler, from voyager to travel, from voyage voyage, from Old French voiage, veiage

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of voyageur was in 1793

Dictionary Entries Near voyageur

Cite this Entry

“Voyageur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/voyageur. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!