workingman
Meaning
A man who works for wages, especially in manual or industrial labor.
Structure
Usage
The new policy aims to protect the rights of the average workingman.
He was a proud workingman who built his life with his own hands.
The union fought for better wages and safer conditions for every workingman at the factory.
Etymology
The compound 'workingman' is a transparent combination of two native English elements. The first element, 'working', derives from the Old English noun weorc, which has Proto-Germanic origins (werkan) and is related to the concept of doing or making. The second element, 'man', from Old English mann, is one of the most fundamental words in the language, denoting a person or male adult. The compound emerged naturally in English to specify a man whose primary identity and livelihood are defined by manual or wage labor, contrasting with other social roles like merchant or gentleman. Its formation follows the common Germanic pattern of creating precise occupational terms by combining a descriptive verbal element with a noun.
Analysis
- working: From Old English weorc (noun: work, action, deed) + -ing (suffix forming the present participle or a noun of action). Functional role: Modifier describing the type of 'man'. - man: From Old English mann (adult male human, person). Functional role: Head noun, the core entity being described.