1 voyageur | Definition of voyageur

voyageur

noun
voya·​geur | \ ËŒvȯi-É™-ˈzhÉ™r How to pronounce voyageur (audio) , ËŒvwä-yä- How to pronounce voyageur (audio) \

Definition of voyageur

: 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

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, "Explore 10 amazing river trips in North American parks," 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, "Upcoming summer events for the south suburbs," 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, "The Best New Books About Epic Expeditions," 19 Apr. 2018 Drive another 20 minutes to Grand Portage National Monument to learn the history of the Grand Portage Band and join a free tour with a National Park Service ranger to learn about the fur traders, French voyageurs and Ojibwe Indians. Kelly Smith, chicagotribune.com, "Minnesota's Hungry Hippie Hostel satiates North Shore travelers," 15 Dec. 2017 The students paddled and portaged through the park, following the routes once traveled by aboriginals and French-Canadian voyageurs. Daily Southtown, "Community news," 30 Aug. 2017 Phelan had learned the technique while hunting and fishing in the wilderness of Quebec, mirroring the journeys and challenges of the voyageurs. Pippa Biddle, The Atlantic, "Why It’s Better to Carry Weight on Your Head," 18 Aug. 2017 There are also organized boating events on the lake, including thrice-daily voyageur canoe paddles and youth and family kayaking events. Jane Morice, cleveland.com, "Pumped to paddle? Check out these 25 great places to kayak in Ohio," 14 July 2017 The Phoenicia faced stiff competition in Bardot’s day, and today’s voyageur has plenty of five-star hotel options. Vogue, "A Guide to Brigitte Bardot’s Beirut," 14 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'voyageur.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of voyageur

1793, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for voyageur

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

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Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with voyageur