yeoman

noun

yeo·​man ˈyō-mən How to pronounce yeoman (audio)
1
a
: an attendant or officer in a royal or noble household
b
: a person attending or assisting another : retainer
d
: a naval petty officer who performs clerical duties
2
a
: a person who owns and cultivates a small farm
specifically : one belonging to a class of English freeholders below the gentry
b
: a person of the social rank of yeoman
3
: one that performs great and loyal service
did a yeoman's job in seeing the program through

Examples of yeoman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My own life as a dismally low-ranking yeoman began just out of high school. Charles Hammer, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2025 The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, bill sponsors Del. Aletheia McCaskill and Sen. C. Anthony Muse, Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson completed a yeoman’s job in getting this bill passed. Robert Turner, Baltimore Sun, 2 June 2025 Robin Hood and his merry men were yeomen of the most courageous sort. Charles Hammer, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2025 Over the past 25 years, on-board astronauts have done yeoman’s work in the station’s six laboratory modules. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for yeoman

Word History

Etymology

Middle English yoman, yeman

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of yeoman was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Yeoman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yeoman. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

yeoman

noun
yeo·​man ˈyō-mən How to pronounce yeoman (audio)
1
a
: a servant in a royal or noble household
b
: a naval petty officer who works as a clerk
2
: a small landowning farmer

More from Merriam-Webster on yeoman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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