Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

forty-niner

noun

/ˈfɔːrtiˌnaɪnər/

Definition

A term used to describe a person who moved to California in search of gold during the 1849 Gold Rush.

Examples

Many forty-niners faced harsh conditions as they journeyed across the country.
The forty-niners contributed to the rapid growth of California’s population and economy.
Some forty-niners struck it rich, while others returned home with very little.

Meaning

The term ‘forty-niner’ specifically refers to the prospectors, miners, and others who traveled to California following the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848, leading to a massive influx of people in hopes of finding wealth.