artilleryman
UK[ɑːˈtɪlərimən]US[ɑːrˈtɪlərimən]
n
a soldier in the artillery; a gunner.
Morpheme Breakdown
artillery
man
artillery
man
Etymology
the term 'artilleryman' is a compound noun formed in english by combining 'artillery' with 'man'. the word 'artillery' entered english from old french 'artillerie', which referred to military engines and equipment for war. this french term derives from the latin 'ars' (genitive 'artis'), meaning 'art, skill, or craft', reflecting the specialized knowledge required to operate such weapons. the suffix '-man', of old english origin, simply denotes a person associated with a particular task, thus an 'artilleryman' is literally a person skilled in the craft of operating heavy military guns.
Analysis
Structure: artillery + man
artillery (from old french artillerie, meaning equipment of war; from latin ars, art-, meaning art, skill) + man (from old english mann, meaning person, human being).
Examples
the experienced artilleryman calculated the trajectory with precision.
during the battle, every artilleryman was stationed at his gun.
he trained for years to become a proficient artilleryman.