voyageur

[ vwah-yah-zhur, voi-uh-; French vwa-ya-zhœr ]
/ ˌvwɑ yɑˈʒɜr, ˌvɔɪ ə-; French vwa yaˈʒœr /

noun, plural vo·ya·geurs [vwah-yah-zhurz, voi-uh-; French vwa-ya-zhœr] /ˌvwɑ yɑˈʒɜrz, ˌvɔɪ ə-; French vwa yaˈʒœr/.

(in Canada) a person who is an expert woodsman, boatman, and guide in remote regions, especially one employed by fur companies to transport supplies to and from their distant stations.

Origin of voyageur

1785–95; < French: traveler, equivalent to voyag(er) to travel (derivative of voyage journey; see voyage) + -eur -eur

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH voyageur

voyager voyageur

Words nearby voyageur

vox populi, vox dei, voxel, voyage, voyage charter, voyager, voyageur, voyageurs national park, voyeur, voyeurism, voyeuristic, voyeuse

Example sentences from the Web for voyageur

British Dictionary definitions for voyageur

voyageur
/ (ˌvɔɪəˈdʒɜː) /

noun Canadian

history a boatman employed by one of the early fur-trading companies, esp in the interior
a woodsman, guide, trapper, boatman, or explorer, esp in the North

Word Origin for voyageur

C19: from French: traveller, from voyager to voyage