journeyman

noun

jour·ney·man | \ ˈjər-nē-mən

Definition of journeyman

1 : a worker who has learned a trade and works for another person usually by the day — compare apprentice entry 1 sense 1b, master entry 1 sense 1c

2 : an experienced reliable worker, athlete, or performer especially as distinguished from one who is brilliant or colorful a good journeyman trumpeter — New Yorker a journeyman outfielder

Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about journeyman

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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

Recent Examples on the Web

Some states license apprentices and journeymen electricians through union and nonunion channels. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "How to Become a Skilled Tradesperson," 13 Mar. 2019 The Seahawks also signed journeyman Stephen Morris, who has not thrown a pass in a regular season game during his four-year career. — Geoffrey C. Arnold, OregonLive.com, "Seattle Seahawks Pete Carroll: 'There may be a place' for Colin Kaepernick on roster," 24 Apr. 2018 Some states only license journeymen, while still others have a separate master electrician and electrical contractor’s license. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "How to Become a Skilled Tradesperson," 13 Mar. 2019 With 2017 second-rounder Obi Melifonwu missing much of the offseason due to injury, don’t be surprised if versatile journeyman Marcus Gilchrist gets significant snaps at safety alongside Karl Joseph. 10. — Andy Benoit, SI.com, "Jon Gruden Is Back, With a Big Rebuilding Job: 10 Thoughts on the Raiders," 18 June 2018 Starting in season two, Last Man Standing became a show about politics —but only sort of ABC via Getty Images Doyle is one of those journeymen showrunners who are brought in on troubled productions in an attempt to salvage them. — Todd Vanderwerff, Vox, "Last Man Standing perfectly encapsulates the 2010s, for better and for worse," 29 Sep. 2018 Aric Almirola, a 34-year-old journeyman, has found a comfort level in his new home as the navigator of the No. — John Henry, star-telegram, "Addition of Aric Almirola gives punch to middle of Stewart-Hass Racing lineup | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 14 Mar. 2018 That was Cody Parkey, a journeyman who had played for three teams in the four seasons before 2018. — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, "Why NFL Teams Leave the Playoffs Kicking and Screaming," 11 Jan. 2019 The journeyman quarterback who went undrafted then bounced around with the Texans and Rams before Minnesota found himself as a desirable commodity on the free-agent market. — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, "The Rise of the NFL’s Mediocre Quarterback," 6 Sep. 2018

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