Words / B2

FRUNT-eer/ˈfrʌntɪə/

A frontier is a border, or the outer limit of knowledge: the frontier of physics; a land frontier. Border is the everyday twin for countries; boundary is close. History modules: the empire’s frontier. Mix-up: front is the forward side (already in the dictionary). Do not call a garden fence a frontier.

Meaning

A border between countries; also the limit of knowledge or development.

Examples

• “The module asks where the frontier of the empire actually ran.”
• “Gene editing sits on the frontier of the specification, which is the knowledge sense.”

Good to know

a frontier with / between; the frontier of science. Everyday (countries): border. Academic metaphor: the next frontier. History, IR, and science features.

Near in meaning

border

New