journeyman

noun

jour·​ney·​man ˈjər-nē-mən How to pronounce journeyman (audio)
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 trumpeterNew Yorker
a journeyman outfielder

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Among the standout performances to enjoy are the very droll Tarra Conner Jones as bandleader Sweet Sue and the journeyman Broadway player Matt Loehr, who plays the Tony Curtis role of Joe here. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 24 Oct. 2024 The Vikings dealt with losing their starting quarterback, 2024 first round pick JJ McCarthy, to injury on the eve of the new campaign, with journeyman Sam Darnold stepping in admirably and leading them to an undefeated record through five weeks. Ben Morse, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024 More:Def Leppard, Journey and Steve Miller romp through five hours of rock sing-alongs Dave Mason is still moving forward Despite Mason’s journeyman career playing with musical greats, his personal life often took dark turns. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024 The Seahawks have beaten a rookie quarterback (Bo Nix), a journeyman (Jacoby Brissett) and a backup (Skylar Thompson) to become one of five 3-0 teams. Jack Magruder, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for journeyman 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from journey journey, a day's labor + man

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of journeyman was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near journeyman

Cite this Entry

“Journeyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/journeyman. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

journeyman

noun
jour·​ney·​man ˈjər-nē-mən How to pronounce journeyman (audio)
1
: a worker who has learned a trade and works for another person usually by the day
2
: an experienced reliable worker
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!