man
UK[mæn]US[mæn]
n
An adult male human being
n
A human being of either sex; a person
n
Human beings in general; the human race
v
To work at, operate, or be stationed at a place or piece of equipment
Etymology
The word 'man' originates from the Proto-Germanic mann-, which referred to a human being. This term is further traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root man-, meaning 'person' or 'human', a concept distinct from gods or animals. In Old English, 'mann' was initially a gender-neutral term for a human, with specific words like 'wer' for male and 'wif' for female. Over centuries, the meaning narrowed in common usage to primarily denote an adult male, while retaining its broader sense of 'humanity' in compounds like 'mankind' and formal contexts.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It functions as a free morpheme, serving as both a noun and a verb.
Examples
The man walked his dog in the park.
All men are created equal.
We need to man the information desk during the event.