footman

noun

foot·​man ˈfu̇t-mən How to pronounce footman (audio)
Synonyms of footmannext
1
a
archaic : a traveler on foot : pedestrian
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

Examples of footman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There’s a moment when a former general upbraids a footman for not wearing gloves to serve food. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 22 May 2026 The footmen of such regimes always come knocking on your door at around four in the morning. Literary Hub, 21 May 2026 Gone were the armed guards; instead, dapper footmen welcomed my husband and me up the stairs into the foyer, a gorgeous space in warm tones. Rebecca Rose, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026 Each eight-passenger coach had a driver and footman and was pulled by a team of horses. Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for footman

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of footman was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Footman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/footman. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

footman

noun
foot·​man -mən How to pronounce footman (audio)
1
: an infantry soldier
2
: a male servant who lets in visitors and waits on the table

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