madman
UK[ˈmædmən]US[ˈmædmən]
n
A man who is insane or mentally ill.
n
A man who behaves in a very foolish or reckless way.
Morpheme Breakdown
mad
man
mad
sense
man
sense
Etymology
The word "madman" is a straightforward compound formed from two native English elements. "Mad" originates from the Old English verb gemǣdan, meaning "to make insane or foolish," itself derived from the adjective gemād, signifying a state of being out of one's mind. "Man" comes from the Old English mann, a term for a human person, which over time specialized to often mean an adult male. The compound literally means "an insane person" or "a foolish person," with the modern definition retaining this core concept of a male individual who is either mentally deranged or acting with extreme and reckless folly.
Analysis
Structure: mad (sense) + man (sense)
- mad: From Old English gemǣd(e)d (past participle of gemǣdan "to make insane"), related to gemād "insane". Origin: Proto-Germanic.
- man: From Old English mann "person, human being, adult male". Origin: Proto-Germanic.
Examples
The character in the story was portrayed as a raving madman.
Only a madman would attempt to climb that mountain in such weather.
The old tale warned children about the madman who lived in the woods.