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Spearhead vs Pioneer - What's the difference?

spearhead | pioneer |

As nouns the difference between spearhead and pioneer

is that spearhead is the pointed head, or end, of a spear while pioneer is one who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.

As verbs the difference between spearhead and pioneer

is that spearhead is to drive or campaign ardently for, as an effort, project, etc while pioneer is to go before and prepare or open a way for; to act as pioneer.

spearhead

Noun

(en noun)
  • The pointed head, or end, of a spear.
  • *
  • *:Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out.. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.
  • One who leads or initiates an activity (such as an attack or a campaign).
  • The leading military unit in an attack.
  • (lb) A player who initiates attacking moves.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 2, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC
  • , title= Bulgaria 0-3 England , passage=England played at a tempo in attack that was too much for Bulgaria, with width provided at various times by Walcott, Young and Stewart Downing and Rooney acting as the potent spearhead .}}

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To drive or campaign ardently for, as an effort, project, etc.
  • He spearheaded the entire project from day one.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=April 21 , author=Jonathan Jurejko , title=Newcastle 3-0 Stoke , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Newcastle have put themselves within touching distance after a fantastic run which has been spearheaded by the goals of Senegal striker Cisse.}}

    pioneer

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.
  • A person or other entity who is first or among the earliest in any field of inquiry, enterprise, or progress.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-05-10
  • , author=Audrey Garric , title=Urban canopies let nature bloom , volume=188, issue=22, page=30 , magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) citation , passage=As towns continue to grow, replanting vegetation has become a form of urban utopia and green roofs are spreading fast. Last year 1m square metres of plant-covered roofing was built in France, as much as in the US, and 10 times more than in Germany, the pioneer in this field.}}
    Some people will consider their national heroes to be pioneers of civilization.
    Certain politicians can be considered as pioneers of reform.
  • (obsolete, military)   A soldier detailed or employed to form roads, dig trenches, and make bridges, as an army advances; a sapper.
  • A member of any of several European organizations advocating abstinence from alcohol.
  • (Communism)   A child of 10–16 years in the former Soviet Union, in the second of the three stages in becoming a member of the Communist Party.
  • Derived terms

    * pioneer axon * Pioneer Day

    See also

    * (Pioneer movement)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To go before and prepare or open a way for; to act as pioneer.
  • Synonyms

    * push the envelope * break new ground