Word
englishman
Phoneticsen·glish·man
/ˈɪŋɡɫɪʃmən/
Definitions
01a man from England
n. a man who was born in England or is a citizen of England.
n. a male native or inhabitant of England; a man who is English by birth, ancestry, or naturalisation.
“The Englishman told us about his favorite places to visit in London.”
“Although he had lived in New York for decades, he still considered himself a proud Englishman at heart.”
Teaching tip
While 'Englishman' is common, many people now prefer the gender-neutral 'English person' or the broader 'British person' in formal contexts.
Synonyms
02English-speaking Canadian
n. a dated and sometimes rude word for a Canadian who speaks English as their first language.
n. a Canadian of British descent or whose primary language is English, often used in contrast to French-speaking Canadians.
“In the old neighborhood, the French families lived next to the Englishmen.”
“The historical text describes the growing tensions between the local habitants and the newly arrived Englishmen in the province.”
Dialect · Informal
Teaching tip
This sense is specific to Quebec and can be perceived as an ethnic slur or offensive depending on the context; 'Anglophone' is the standard modern term.
Synonyms
03English-speaking South African
n. a dated word for a South African whose family comes from Britain.
n. a South African of British descent, typically distinguished from Afrikaans-speaking citizens.
“My grandfather was an Englishman who settled in Cape Town after the war.”
“The social club was originally founded to serve the interests of the local Englishmen in the mining district.”
Dialect · Archaic
Teaching tip
Mostly used historically to distinguish between British-descended and Boer/Afrikaner populations.
Etymology
From Middle English Englishman, Inglishman, from Old English Englisċman, Englisċmon, corresponding to English + -man. Compare Old Norse Englismaðr (“Englishman”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/englishman