1. People who settle on and farm land, especially under a homestead law that grants ownership after a period of residence and cultivation.
Usage: Plural of homesteader; Historically associated with westward expansion in the United States during the 19th century

Examples

• The homesteaders claimed 160 acres of land under the Homestead Act of 1862.
• Many homesteaders faced harsh winters and difficult living conditions on the frontier.
• These homesteaders built their own cabins and grew crops to survive.
• The government encouraged homesteaders to move westward and develop the territory.
• Some homesteaders eventually became successful farmers and established permanent communities.
• Homesteaders had to prove they could cultivate the land for a set number of years.