Pathbreakers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Those who innovate, leading the way in new ideas or methods
2. Individuals who create new paths in business, technology, or social movements
3. Pioneers who challenge the status quo to facilitate progress and change in various fields

Etymology: "Pathbreakers" is the plural of "pathbreaker," a compound formed from "path" and "breaker." The first element is the ordinary Old English word for a way through land, while the second comes from "break," in the sense of forcing or opening something up, as when a ship breaks through ice or a crowd breaks through a barrier. Put together, the pair describes someone who makes a way where none existed before. The literal image comes first: a person who clears or trods a track through wilderness or difficult ground. The figurative use then carries that physical act over into intellectual, commercial, and social life, so that a pathbreaker is one who opens new territory for others to follow. The word is transparent in construction, and its meaning follows directly from its two parts.