Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “journeyman” come from?

Journeyman comes from Middle English jorneman, composed of Middle English man or mon, from Proto-Germanic mann-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European men-.

journeyman (English): a tradesman who has served an apprenticeship and...

Definitions

  1. a tradesman who has served an apprenticeship and...

Ancestry of “journeyman”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishjornemanjourneyman
2Middle EnglishjourneAn endeavour or enterprise; an attempt at...
3Old Frenchjorneejourney; day
4Latindiurnāta—
5Latindiurnummasculine accusative singular of diurnus; neuter...
6Latindiurnusof the day; daily; day
7Latindiēs—
8Proto-Italicdjēmaccusative singular of *djous
9Proto-Italic*djous—
10Proto-Indo-Europeandyḗwssky, heaven; sky god
11Proto-Indo-Europeandyéws—
12Proto-Indo-Europeandyew-to be bright; sky, heaven

Words derived from “journeyman”

  • journeymanship
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dyew- →