pioneer

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pioneer a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area. Recorded from the early 16th century (as a military term denoting a member of the infantry), the word comes ultimately (via French) from Latin pedo, the same base as pawn.

Pioneer is the name of a series of American space probes launched between 1958 and 1973, two of which provided the first clear pictures of Jupiter and Saturn (1973–79).

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