dutchman
UK[ˈdʌtʃmən]US[ˈdʌtʃmən]
n
A native or inhabitant of the Netherlands.
n
A person of Dutch descent.
Morpheme Breakdown
dutch
man
dutch
of the Netherlands
man
person
Etymology
The word "Dutchman" is a straightforward compound formed from the adjective "Dutch" and the noun "man." The term "Dutch" itself originates from the Middle Dutch word duutsch, meaning "of the people" or "vernacular," which was applied broadly to Germanic peoples. In English, its scope narrowed specifically to refer to people from the Netherlands. The second element, "man," from Old English mann, is a generic term for a person. Thus, a "Dutchman" literally means "a person from the Dutch lands." Historically, the term reflects the English practice of forming demonyms by adding "-man" to an adjectival form of a place name.
Analysis
Structure: dutch (of the Netherlands) + man (person)
- dutch: Origin: Middle English Duch, from Middle Dutch duutsch (of the Netherlands, Germanic). Role: Adjective used attributively to denote origin.
- man: Origin: Old English mann (person, human being). Role: Noun-forming element denoting a person.
Examples
The painter was a famous Dutchman from the 17th century.
My great-grandfather was a Dutchman who immigrated to America.
The saying "going Dutch" is sometimes humorously attributed to a stereotypical Dutchman.