Word of the Day

: March 5, 2010

journeyman

noun JER-nee-mun

What It Means

1 : a worker who has learned a trade and works for another person

2 : an experienced reliable worker, athlete, or performer

journeyman in Context

The team is ready to trade three of its rookie hopefuls for the journeyman pitcher.

Did You Know?

The "journey" in "journeyman" refers to a sense of this 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.