deliverymen
UK[dɪˈlɪvərɪmən]US[dɪˈlɪvəriˌmɛn]
n
People whose job is to deliver goods, especially to homes or businesses.
Morpheme Breakdown
deliver
y
men
deliver
to set free, to hand over
y
noun suffix
men
plural noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'deliverymen' is a modern compound agent noun. Its core, 'deliver', originates from Latin 'dēlīberāre', meaning "to set free" or "to weigh out," which evolved through Anglo-French 'delivrer' to mean "to hand over, to set free from." The suffix '-y' was added to form the noun 'delivery', denoting the act or business of handing over goods. Finally, the plural agent noun 'men' is appended, directly from Old English 'mann', to specify the persons who perform this act. Thus, the term literally and logically describes "persons engaged in the act of handing over goods."
Analysis
Structure: deliver (to set free, to hand over) + y (noun suffix) + men (plural noun suffix)
deliver: From Latin 'dēlīberāre' (to set free, to weigh), via Anglo-French 'delivrer'. Functional role: core verb root.
y: A Middle English noun-forming suffix, often from Old French '-é', '-ie', or '-ee'. Functional role: suffix forming an abstract or collective noun (delivery).
men: The plural form of 'man', from Old English 'mann' (person, human being). Functional role: plural agent noun suffix, indicating persons performing the action.
Examples
The deliverymen arrived early with the new office furniture.
Please ensure a signature is obtained from the customer by the deliverymen.
The company hired more deliverymen to handle the holiday rush.