yeoman English · revision 935

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈjəʊ.mən/ ''(UK)''; /ˈjoʊ.mən/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|yoman]], ''yeman'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) of uncertain origin.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It may be a contraction of ''yong man'' “young man”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) or from an unrecorded Old English ''*gēaman'', related to Old Frisian ''gāman'' “villager”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''-gēa'' “district”, related to German ''Gau''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A servant or attendant of superior grade in a royal or noble household (before 1300 in Barnhart; 14th century in the OED).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English a yeoman was the third order of fighting men, below knights and squires,^(Etymonline) noted for strength and bravery, hence ''yeoman's service'' “powerful, efficient help” (c. 1600).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) From the early 15th century the word meant a commoner who farmed his own land, a small freeholder below the gentry (1411).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The ''Yeomen of the Guard'' were the royal bodyguard first appointed by Henry VII (1485),^(OED 1989) and in navies a yeoman was a petty officer in charge of stores (c. 1400), later of clerical duties.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1300 – a household attendant.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – a naval officer in charge of stores.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1411 – a farmer holding a small estate.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1485 – ''Yeoman of the Guard''.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1600 – ''yeoman's service''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(historical)'' A farmer who owned and cultivated a small estate, one of a class of English freeholders below the [[gentry]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An attendant or lesser official in a royal or noble household; a [[Yeoman of the Guard]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A petty officer with clerical duties in the US Navy.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An assistant or subordinate, as of a sheriff.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # A diligent, dependable worker.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Sturdy, staunch or workmanlike, as in ''yeoman service''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[yeomanly]]

+ * [[yeomanry]]

+ * [[yeoman's service]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[squire]]

+ * [[freeholder]]

+ * [[young]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}