-man
Origin
From the noun man.
Suffix
- Someone (implied male) who is an expert in an area; e.g. horseman, sportsman.
- Someone (implied male) who is employed or holds a position in an area; e.g lawman, newsman.
- Someone (implied male) who has special characteristics relating to an area, e.g. freeman, iceman, superman.
- In certain cases, someone (implied male) who derives from a particular nationality; e.g. Scotsman, Chinaman.
Usage notes
To include men and women, either the suffix -person is used, or a gender-inclusive synonym, for example police officer instead of policeman.
Frequently employed in the names of comic book characters, e.g. Aquaman, , , , etc.