-man
a combining form of man:
layman; postman.
usage note
-man
combining form
indicating a person who has a role, works in a place, or operates equipment as specified salesman, barman, cameraman
usage note
the use of words ending in -man is avoided as implying a male in job advertis-m-nts, where s-xual discrimination is illegal, and in many other contexts where a term that is not gender-specific is available, such as salesperson, barperson, camera operator
Read Also:
- -mancy
a combining form meaning “divination,” of the kind specified by the initial element: necromancy. -mancy combining form indicating divination of a particular kind chiromancy word origin from old french -mancie, from latin -mantia, from greek manteia soothsaying -mancy combining form meaning “divination by means of,” from o.fr. -mancie, from l.l. -mantia, from gk. manteia “oracle, […]
- -mania
a combining form of mania (megalomania); extended to mean “enthusiasm, often of an extreme and transient nature,” for that specified by the initial element (bibliomania). -mania combining form indicating extreme desire or pleasure of a specified kind or an abnormal excitement aroused by something kleptomania, nymphomania, pyromania derived forms -maniac, combining_form:in_adjective, combining_form:in_noun:countable word origin from […]
- -manship
a combination of -man and -ship, used as an independent suffix with the meaning “skill in a particular activity, especially of a compet-tive nature”: brinkmanship; grantsmanship; one-upmanship; sometimes compounded with a plural noun by -n-logy with craftsmanship, marksmanship, sportsmanship, etc.
- -mantic
a combining form used in the formation of adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -mancy: necromantic. -mantic combining form forming adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -mancy necromantic
- -mas
combining form indicating a christian festival christmas, michaelmas word origin from m-ss