footman

noun foot·man \ ˈfu̇t-mən \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of footman

1 a archaic : a traveler on foot : pedestrian

b : infantryman

2 a : a servant in livery formerly attending a rider or required to run in front of his master's carriage

b : a servant who serves at table, tends the door, and runs errands

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Recent Examples of footman from the Web

In 2017, Victoria was the subject of Victoria & Abdul, a movie about the Queen's friendship with her royal footman.

— maggie maloney, Town & Country, "The Queen's Wikipedia Page Was Extremely Popular in 2017," 5 Jan. 2018
A few months later, with cameras in tow, Bruce was guided into a footman’s vestibule at Windsor, down through a trap door hidden under rugs in front of the fireplace and into an ancient sally port, basically a secret escape route from the castle.

— steve hendrix, Washington Post, "As the Nazis bombed Britain, the royals hid the crown jewels in the least likely place," 13 Jan. 2018
It was brought by a thin waiter in footman dress who looked as nervous as a greyhound.

— alex halberstadt, Town & Country, "The Surreal Thrill of Moscow Dining," 9 Oct. 2015
Commonly fixed in positions of servitude—as footmen or waiters, for example—the figures personify fantasies of racial conquest.

— Essence.com, "A Royal Family Member Wore An Unsettling Blackamoor Brooch To Meet Meghan Markle For The First Time," 22 Dec. 2017
What’s the solution for those of us who don’t have footmen to hold the food?

— charlotteobserver, "An entertaining expert offer tips for setting a beautiful table | Charlotte Observer," 31 Oct. 2017
In the later years of her life, one of Queen Victoria's closest confidants was Abdul Karim, an Indian royal footman who eventually became the monarch's official clerk.

— caroline hallemann, Town & Country, "Victoria & Abdul Tells the Story of an Unusual Royal Friendship," 19 Sep. 2017
Why, a small fortune’s worth of diamonds and several strapping footmen in full formal dress!

— elise taylor, Vogue, "Queen Maxima’s Cinderella Moment Is Monarchy Magic," 19 Sep. 2017
To the growing consternation of the royal household, headed by Henry Ponsberry (the great Tim Pigott-Smith in one of his final roles), Queen Victoria makes the two Indians her personal footmen.

— david rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Victoria & Abdul': Film Review | Venice 2017," 3 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'footman.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of footman

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1b

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FOOTMAN Defined for English Language Learners

footman

noun

Definition of footman for English Language Learners

: a male servant who lets visitors into a house and serves food at the dinner table

FOOTMAN Defined for Kids

footman

noun foot·man \ ˈfu̇t-mən \

Definition of footman for Students

plural footmen \-mən\

: a male servant who performs various duties (as letting visitors in and serving food)

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Spanish Central: Translation of footman Nglish: Translation of footman for Spanish speakers

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footman

Definition of footman

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First Known Use of footman

FOOTMAN Defined for English Language Learners

footman

Definition of footman for English Language Learners

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footman

Definition of footman for Students

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