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henchman

noun hench·man \ ˈhench-mən \
|Updated on: 13 Jul 2018

Definition of henchman

1 obsolete : a squire or page to a person of high rank
2 a : a trusted follower : a right-hand man
b : a political follower whose support is chiefly for personal advantage
c : a member of a gang

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See henchman defined for kids

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Examples of henchman in a Sentence

  1. a gangster surrounded by his henchmen

Recent Examples of henchman from the Web

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

Did You Know?

The earliest known examples of henchman in written English show it being used as a term for a squire or a page, but the word may have seen earlier use with the meaning "groom." It first appeared in Middle English at the beginning of the 15th century and is a combination of Old English hengest ("a male horse") and man. In the late 1700s, henchman began to be used for the personal attendant of a Scottish Highland chief. This sense, made familiar to many English readers by Sir Walter Scott, led to the word's use in the broader sense of "right-hand man," which in turn evolved into the other meanings.

Origin and Etymology of henchman

Middle English henshman, hengestman groom, from hengest stallion (from Old English) + man; akin to Old High German hengist gelding

HENCHMAN Defined for English Language Learners

henchman

noun

Definition of henchman for English Language Learners

  • : a trusted follower or supporter who performs unpleasant, wrong, or illegal tasks for a powerful person (such as a politician or criminal)

HENCHMAN Defined for Kids

henchman

noun hench·man \ ˈhench-mən \

Definition of henchman for Students

plural henchmen \-mən\
: a trusted follower or supporter and especially someone who performs unpleasant or illegal tasks

Learn More about henchman

  1. See words that rhyme with henchman Spanish Central: Translation of henchman Nglish: Translation of henchman for Spanish speakers

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