Where does “baseman” come from?

Baseman comes from English base, ultimately from Latin basis meaning "foundation" or "pedestal," and English man.

baseman (English): A player positioned at or near a base: first...

Definitions

  1. A player positioned at or near a base: first...

Ancestry of “baseman”, step by step

baseman traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English MAN

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMANInitialism of Metropolitan Area Network
2EnglishmanualA handbook; A booklet that instructs on the usage...
3Middle Englishmanuel
4Anglo-Normanmanuelmanual; done with the hands; handle; manual;...
5Old Frenchmanual
6Latinmanuālishand
7Latinmanushand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting
8Proto-Italicmanushand
9Proto-Indo-Europeanman-human being; man; hand

via English Base

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBaseSomething from which other things extend; a foundation
2Middle EnglishbaseA foundation or base; the bottom of a building;...
3Old Frenchbasebase bottom part; supporting part
4LatinbasisA pedestal, foot, base; basis, foundation; The...
5Ancient Greekβάσιςstep; rhythm; foot
6Proto-Hellenicgʷə́tisstep
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʷémtisstep, act of walking
8Proto-Indo-Europeangʷem-to step
Every word from Proto-Indo-European man-