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
Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 9 Mar. 2026
Dulcich has been something of journeyman since the Denver Broncos selected him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
—Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Ex-Bills offensive lineman Connor McGovern is the next best center available, followed by a smattering of journeymen and/or backup-caliber players.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Upon appointment, Ali was a hojjat al-Islam, a journeyman jurist, one grade below ayatollah.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for journeyman
Cite this Entry
“Journeyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/journeyman. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
journeyman
noun
