laundryman
UK[ˈlɔːndrimən]US[ˈlɔːndrimən]
n
A man whose job is to wash and iron clothes, sheets, etc., especially one who collects and delivers laundry.
Morpheme Breakdown
laundry
man
laundry
washing
man
person
Etymology
The word 'laundryman' is a transparent compound formed from two English elements. The first part, 'laundry', has a long journey from the Latin verb lavare, meaning "to wash," which passed through Old French before entering English. The second part, 'man', originates from the Old English mann, a general term for a person. When combined, the compound follows a common English pattern where 'man' acts as an agentive suffix, literally creating "a man of the laundry." This directly and logically describes a person, specifically male, whose occupation is connected to washing clothes, evolving from the basic, literal components into a specific job title.
Analysis
Structure: laundry (washing) + man (person)
laundry: From Old French lavanderie, from lavandier ("washer"), from Latin lavare ("to wash"). Functions as the core noun denoting the act, place, or items related to washing.
man: From Old English mann ("person, human being"). Functions as an agent noun suffix, denoting a person associated with the preceding noun.
Examples
The laundryman comes every Tuesday to pick up the dirty linens.
He worked his way through college as a laundryman at a local hotel.
Before modern washing machines, many households relied on the services of a laundryman.