Meanings
nounnight watchman (plural night watchmen)
plural night watchmen · alternative nightwatchman
- historicalPrior to police forces, a person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers.
- A person who guards (usually at a building) at night.
We can hear the night watchman click his flashlight / Ask himself if it's him or them that's insane
1966, Bob Dylan, “Visions of Johanna”, in Blonde on Blonde - ball gamesA lower order batter to play the last overs in low light to save better batters for the next day's play.
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Origin
Translations
Catalan vigilant nocturn
- vigilant nocturnperson who guards at night
Danish vægter
- vægtera person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers
Dutch nachtwacht
- nachtwachta person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers
Finnish yövartija, yövartija
- yövartijaa person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers
- yövartijaperson who guards at night
German Nachtwächter, Nachtwächter
- Nachtwächtera person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers
- Nachtwächterperson who guards at night
- Wachmannperson who guards at night
Greek νυχτοφύλακας
- νυχτοφύλακας (nychtofýlakas)person who guards at night
Icelandic næturvörður, næturvörður
- næturvörðura person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers
- næturvörðurperson who guards at night
Norwegian Bokmål nattvakt
- nattvaktperson who guards at night
Polish stróż nocny, stróż nocny
- stróż nocnya person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers
- stróż nocnyperson who guards at night
Swedish nattvakt
- nattvaktperson who guards at night
Turkish gece bekçisi, yatakçı
- gece bekçisia person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers
- yatakçıa person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers
Cite this entry
APA
night watchman. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/night%20watchman
MLA
“night watchman.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/night%20watchman. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “night watchman,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/night%20watchman.
Source: night watchman on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.