congressman English · revision 15410

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1780}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkɒŋɡresmən/ ''(UK)''; /ˈkɑːŋɡresmən/, /ˈkɔːŋɡresmən/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|en|congress|-man]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A member of the United States Congress: 1780, American English, first in a piece of abuse by a Loyalist: ''Ye coxcomb Congressmen, declaimers keen''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Technically it covers members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, but it usually means only House members.^(Etymonline)^(AHD) Congresswoman is attested from 1918;^(Etymonline) Jeannette Rankin was the first.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1780 – congressman.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1918 – congresswoman.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A male member of the [[United States]] [[Congress]], especially of the House of Representatives.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[congress]]

+ * [[congresswoman]]

+ * [[senator]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}