repairman
Meaning
a person whose job is to repair things, especially machines
Structure
Usage
We called a repairman to fix the broken refrigerator.
He worked for many years as a television repairman.
The repairman arrived promptly and solved the issue with our heating system.
Etymology
The word 'repairman' is a transparent compound formed within Modern English. Its first element, 'repair', originates from the Latin verb reparare, a combination of re- ('again') and parare ('to make ready, prepare'), thus carrying the literal sense of 'to make ready again'. This entered English via Anglo-Norman and Old French. The second element, 'man', derives from the Old English mann, a generic term for a person. When combined, the compound logically denotes 'a person who makes things ready again', which evolved into the modern occupational term for someone who fixes broken equipment or machinery.
Analysis
- repair: From Latin reparare ('to prepare again, restore'), via Old French. Functional role: Verbal root, indicating the core action. - man: From Old English mann ('person, human being'). Functional role: Noun-forming suffix, specifying the agent performing the action.