plowman
UK[ˈplaʊmən]US[ˈplaʊmən]
n
a man who guides a plow, especially as an occupation; a plowboy or farm laborer.
n
(archaic or literary) a rustic countryman; a peasant.
Morpheme Breakdown
plow
man
plow
man
Etymology
the word 'plowman' is a transparent compound from old english, formed from 'plōh' (plow) and 'mann' (man). its literal meaning, "a man who operates a plow," has remained remarkably consistent from its germanic roots to modern english. the term reflects the fundamental agrarian structure of medieval society, where one's identity and occupation were often directly linked. while its usage has diminished with mechanized farming, it persists in historical, literary, and regional contexts to denote a farm laborer or a figure of rustic simplicity.
Analysis
Structure: plow + man
plow (old english, from proto-germanic plōgaz): the agricultural implement for tilling soil.
man (old english, from proto-germanic mann-): an adult male human.
Examples
the medieval plowman worked from dawn till dusk tilling the lord's fields.
in chaucer's canterbury tales, the plowman is depicted as a pious and hardworking brother of the parson.
the old plowman rested under the oak tree, looking out over the furrowed earth.