1. a person who finds or makes a path through unexplored territory
2. a person who is among the first to explore or develop a new area of knowledge or activity
Usage: figurative

Examples

• The pathfinder led the expedition through the dense jungle.
• Early pathfinders carved trails through the wilderness for settlers to follow.
• She was a pathfinder in the field of computer science.
• The company hired pathfinders to scout new business opportunities.
• Mountain pathfinders marked the safest routes to the summit.
• As a pathfinder in renewable energy, he developed groundbreaking solar technology.