Where does “trencher-man” come from?

trencher-man (English) comes from English trencher, from Middle English trenchour, from Anglo-Norman trenchour, from Old French trenchier, from Vulgar Latin trinicare, from Latin trini, from Latin tres, from English three.

trencher-man (English): A feeder; a great eater; a gormandizer; A cook; A...

Definitions

  1. A feeder; a great eater; a gormandizer; A cook; A...

Ancestry of “trencher-man”, step by step

trencher-man traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English trencher

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtrencherA long plate on which food is served and/or cut;...
2Middle EnglishtrenchourA cutting tool; a knife or blade
3Anglo-Normantrenchourcutter
4Old Frenchtrenchierto cut
5Vulgar Latintrinicarecut into three parts; cut in three parts
6Latintrininominative masculine plural of trīnus; genitive...
7Latintresthree; 3
8EnglishthreeA numerical value after two and before four....
9Middle Englishthrethree
10Old Englishþrīthree
11Proto-West Germanicþrīʀthree
12Proto-Germanicþrīzthree
13Proto-Indo-European*tréyes

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

Words derived from “trencher-man

Every word from Proto-Indo-European *tréyesEvery word from Proto-Germanic þrīzEvery word from Proto-West Germanic þrīʀ