English

Suffix

-man ‎(plural -men)

1. Someone (implied male) who is an expert in an area.

   horseman, sportsman

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

   lawman, newsman

3. Someone (implied male) who has special characteristics relating to an area.

   freeman, iceman, superman

4. In certain cases, someone (implied male) who derives from a particular nationality.

   Scotsman, Chinaman

Usage notes

• To include men and women, either the suffix -person is used, or a gender-inclusive synonym, for example police officer instead of policeman.
• Frequently employed in the names of comic book characters, e.g. Aquaman, Batman, Sandman, Superman, etc.

Antonyms

• -woman

Hypernyms

• -person

Derived terms

• Category:English words suffixed with -man

Dutch

Etymology

From the Dutch noun man 'man'.

Suffix

-man m ‎(plural -mannen or -lieden or -lui)

1. Someone (implied male) who is an expert in an area; e.g. sportman 'sportsman', zakenman 'businessman'.
2. Someone (implied male) who is employed or holds a position in an area; e.g brandweerman 'fireman', politieman 'policeman'.
3. Someone (implied male) who has special characteristics relating to an area, e.g. dolleman 'madman', landsman 'countryman'.
4. In certain cases, someone (implied male) who derives from a particular nationality; e.g. Schotsman, Fransman.

Usage notes

The plural form of -man is -lieden (-lui in spoken language) or sometimes -mannen and -mensen (ex. sportlieden/sportlui, brandweerlieden/brandweermannen, politiemannen or politiemensen, Fransmannen or Fransen).

Antonyms

• -vrouw

Derived terms

• brandweerman
• dolleman
• politeman
• sportsman
• zeeman
• landsman
• zakenman

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English

Suffix

-man

1. used to form names of male professions or sportspersons

Usage notes

• Most of these like businessman are borrowed directly from English, while some such as tennisman are not. The plural may be as -mans, or may be -men.

See also

• -woman

Haitian Creole

Etymology

From French -ment ‎(“-ly”).

Suffix

-man

1. used to form adverbs out of adjectives; -ly

Quechua

Suffix

-man

1. allative or dative case; indicates the direction of movement or the indirect object

   Llaqtaman risaq.

   I will go towards the town.

   Paykunaman mikhunata apachkani.

   I am taking food to them.

2. potential mood; indicates possibility or potential

   Qam rikunkiman.

   You would see.

   Ñuqaqa manam haqayman purinimanchu.

   I would not walk over there.