1. a person who settles on and farms public land, especially under a homestead law that grants ownership after a period of residence and cultivation
Usage: historical; primarily U.S. context
2. a person who practices homesteading; someone who seeks self-sufficiency by growing food, raising animals, and making goods on their own land
Usage: modern usage

Examples

• The homesteaders moved west in the 1800s to claim land under the Homestead Act.
• Many homesteaders in the frontier era built log cabins and cleared fields for crops.
• Modern homesteaders often grow organic vegetables and raise chickens on their property.
• She became a homesteader to reduce her dependence on commercial food systems.
• The homesteader's family worked together to harvest crops and preserve food for winter.
• Early homesteaders faced harsh weather and isolation on the Great Plains.