What does "footman" mean?
A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot soldier.
Footman
name, noun
name, noun ·2 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot soldier.
- Grammar: footman is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: attendant, butler, flunkey, flunky.
- Useful contrasts: cavalryman, employer, horseman.
- Usage evidence: He came back two hours later and received the same answer, accompanied by a rather dubious look from the footman.
How to use "footman"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "footman" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "footman" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "footman" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "footman" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "footman" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "attendant" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "footman", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot soldier. archaic
- 2 a man employed as a servant in a large establishment (as a palace) to run errands and do chores wordnet
- 3 A man in waiting; a male servant whose duties are to attend the door, the carriage, the table, etc.
"[…] on October 29, 1888, the Russian imperial train was derailed at Borki by defective track, and twenty-one persons were killed. Although these did not include the Emperor Alexander III, who escaped with a bruising, a footman serving coffee to him at the critical moment, and his dog, which was lying on the floor beside him, were both killed on the spot."
- 4 A servant who runs in front of his master's carriage. historical
"When he travelled by coach the vehicle was accompanied by his liveried footmen running alongside to ensure its smooth passage (footmen would not be indoor servants until a century later)."
- 5 A metallic stand with four feet, for keeping anything warm before a fire.
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A moth of the family Arctiidae (or subfamily Arctiinae); -- so called from its livery-like colors.
- 7 A moth of the family Arctiidae (or subfamily Arctiinae); -- so called from its livery-like colors.; especially, a common footman (Manulea lurideola)
- 8 A bar that connects the treadle of a spinning wheel to the wheel.
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"He came back two hours later and received the same answer, accompanied by a rather dubious look from the footman."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "footman"?
Common synonyms include: attendant, butler, flunkey, flunky, foot soldier, footman moth.
How do you use "footman" in a sentence?
He came back two hours later and received the same answer, accompanied by a rather dubious look from the footman.
Etymology
From Middle English fotman, footman, foteman (“foot soldier, running footman”), from Old English *fōtman, *fōtmann (attested only as Old English fēþman, fēþemann (“footman”), equivalent to foot + man.