journeyman
noun
New Yorker
Did you know?
The journey in journeyman refers to a sense of the familiar word not often used anymore: "a day's labor." This sense of journey was first used in the 14th century. When journeyman appeared the following century, it originally referred to a person who, having learned a handicraft or trade through an apprenticeship, worked for daily wages. In the 16th century, journeyman picked up a figurative (and mainly deprecatory) sense; namely, "one who drudges for another." These days, however, journeyman has little to do with drudgery, and lots to do with knowing a trade inside out.
Examples of journeyman in a Sentence
Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Eubanks, 28, is a 6-foot-10, 245-pound journeyman who has played for five teams over seven seasons in the NBA.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
Diego Seguí, the Cuban journeyman who pitched 15 seasons in Major League Baseball and another 10 years in the Mexican League, died on Tuesday at the age of 87.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
The team is also in need of a first base upgrade, with journeyman Dominic Smith recently taking over the position.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for journeyman
Cite this Entry
“Journeyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/journeyman. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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journeyman
noun
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