footman

noun

foot·​man ˈfu̇t-mən 

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

Examples of footman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The former footman for the Van Rhijn household has undergone the most dramatic transformation of any character in The Gilded Age universe. —Sam Reed, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2025

The next morning, a footman brought back an acceptance. —Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025

So far, The Gilded Age’s third season delivered a near-royal wedding, two seances, a sudden death by carriage, and a rags-to-riches success story in the form of a young footman who invents a clock. —Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 29 July 2025

Downstairs, young footman and part-time inventor Jack is trying to sell a new style of alarm clock with Larry's help and leave the world of service and rigid class striations behind him. —Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for footman

• footmen

Kids Definition

footman

noun

foot·​man -mən 

1

: an infantry soldier

2

: a male servant who lets in visitors and waits on the table