handyman
Meaning
a person who is skilled at a wide variety of small, practical, or repair tasks, especially around the home.
Structure
Usage
we hired a handyman to fix the leaky faucet and paint the fence.
he's quite the handyman, able to build furniture and do basic electrical work.
the apartment complex employs a handyman for general maintenance issues.
Etymology
the word 'handyman' is a compound formed from two english words of germanic origin. the first element, 'handy', derives from old english, combining 'hand' with the adjective-forming suffix '-y' to denote dexterity and practical skill. the second element, 'man', from old english 'mann', originally meant 'person' and here specifies the individual performing the tasks. the compound emerged in the 18th century, logically describing a person, typically male, who is adept at a range of manual jobs and odd repairs, reflecting a societal role valued for practical problem-solving.
Analysis
handy (old english): from 'hand' + '-y', meaning 'skillful with the hands'. man (old english): meaning 'a person, a human being'.