-man

/mən//mæn/

suffix

Someone (possibly implied male) who is an expert in an area or who takes part in an activity.

“law + -man → lawman”

Meanings

suffix-man (noun-forming suffix, plural -men, feminine -woman)

plural -men · feminine -woman

  1. Someone (possibly implied male) who is an expert in an area or who takes part in an activity.

    horse + -man → horseman

    1 more example

    sports + -man → sportsman

  2. Someone (possibly implied male) who is employed or holds a position in an area.

    law + -man → lawman

    1 more example

    news + -man → newsman

  3. Someone (possibly implied male) who has special characteristics relating to a topic or area.

    ice + -man → iceman

    2 more examples

    free + -man → freeman

    super + -man → superman

  4. Someone (possibly implied male) who has a particular nationality.

    Scots + -man → Scotsman

    3 more examples

    Dutch + -man → Dutchman

    China + -man → Chinaman

    Yorkshire + -man → Yorkshireman

  5. A man whose name begins with the preceding letter.

    J + -man → J-man (“man whose name starts with an J”)

    1 more example

    H + -man → H-man (“man whose name starts with H, e.g. Harry”)

  6. A ship which has special characteristics relating to a trade or area.

    merchant + -man → merchantman

    4 more examples

    Guinea + -man → Guineaman (“ship of the West African slave trade”)

    East India + -man → East Indiaman

    Greenland + -man → Greenlandman (“a whaling ship”)

    China + -man → Chinaman (“sailing ship engaged in the Old China Trade”)

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mon-
  2. Proto-Germanic*mann-
  3. Proto-West Germanic*mann
  4. Old Englishmann
  5. Middle Englishman
  6. English-man

From Middle English -man, from the noun man.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

-man. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-man

MLA

“-man.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-man. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-man,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-man.

Source: -man on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.