kingsman
/ˈkɪŋzmən/
noun
Origin
Old English
cyning — king, ruler
Overview
Meaning Now
- A man in the service of a king; a loyalist to the monarchy.
- A kinsman of a king; someone related to the monarch by blood.
Literal older meaning
king's man
Language path
Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
kynges man
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term historically denoted a person who held land or office directly under the crown, often contrasted with a 'lord's man' or a vassal. During the English Civil War, it was frequently used to describe those who remained loyal to King Charles I.
Evolution
- Old English
cyninges mann
“king's man / servant of the king”
- Middle English
kynges man
“loyalist or royal officer”
- Early Modern English
kingsman
“royal servant or partisan”
compound formation
Connections
Word parts
king
root
monarch
s
ending
genitive marker
man
root
human being, servant
Related across languages
German
Königsmann
king's man
Dutch
koningsman
king's man
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Related to kingsman
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.