journeyman's piece

noun

A work that someone produces in order to prove that they have completed their apprenticeship in a craft.

OriginGerman Gesellenstück →
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Meanings

nounjourneyman's piece (plural journeyman's pieces or journeymen's pieces (rare))

plural journeyman's pieces · plural rare journeymen's pieces

  1. A work that someone produces in order to prove that they have completed their apprenticeship in a craft.
  2. figurativelyAn action or achievement by which someone proves their competency.

Origin

  1. GermanGesellenstück
  2. Englishjourneyman's piece

Likely a calque of German Gesellenstück. Much use seems to be in reference to Germany or continental Europe.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

journeyman's piece. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/journeyman's%20piece

MLA

“journeyman's piece.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/journeyman's%20piece. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “journeyman's piece,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/journeyman's%20piece.

Source: journeyman's piece on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.