Where does “henchman” come from?
Henchman derives from Middle English henseman, from Old English hengstmann, a compound of Old English hengst (stallion) and mann (man), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European men- (man).
henchman (English): A loyal and trusted follower or subordinate; A...
Definitions
- A loyal and trusted follower or subordinate; A...
Ancestry of “henchman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | henxman | a groom, page, attendant |
| 2 | Old English | hengestmann | groom |
| 3 | Old English | mann | person; man meaning mankind; man meaning adult... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | mann | person, human |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *mann- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |
Words derived from “henchman”