Where does “knifeman” come from?

knifeman (English) comes from English MAN, from English manual, from Middle English manuel, from Anglo-Norman manuel, from Old French manual, from Latin manuālis, from Latin manus, from Proto-Italic manus — human being; man; hand.

knifeman (English): Man using a knife as a weapon

Definitions

  1. Man using a knife as a weapon

Ancestry of “knifeman”, step by step

knifeman 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 knife

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishknifeA utensil or a tool designed for cutting,...
2Middle EnglishknyfA knife as a tool or instrument; the following...
3Old Englishcnīfknife
4Old Norseknífrknife
5Proto-Germanicknībazpincers; shears; knife
6Proto-Germanicknīpanąto pinch
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵneybʰ-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European man-
knifeman — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer