Word
journeyman
Phoneticsjour·ney·man, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdʒɝniˌmæn/
UK/dʒˈɜːnɪmən/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a player who is very good but not quite the best in their sport. You use this to describe someone who is a solid professional but not a star.
n. a professional athlete who is highly skilled but lacks the exceptional talent or status of a star. Often used in sports commentary to describe a reliable, consistent performer.
Examples
“He is a journeyman player who never gets the headlines.”
“The team signed a journeyman center to provide depth and experience during the championship run.”
“While the rookie was the face of the franchise, the journeyman veteran provided the steady hand and defensive grit necessary to win the title.”
Examples
simple
“He is a journeyman player who never gets the headlines.”
contextual
“The team signed a journeyman center to provide depth and experience during the championship run.”
complex
“While the rookie was the face of the franchise, the journeyman veteran provided the steady hand and defensive grit necessary to win the title.”
Real-World Examples
“The US took a first-half lead on a goal by indoor and outdoor soccer journeyman Sadri Gjonbalaj.” “On Wednesday, Fury, who defeated journeyman Mariusz Wach last month to keep the potential blockbuster clash with Joshua on track, said negotiations over the fight were becoming "quite tiring".” Etymology
From Middle English jorneman; from journe (from Old French jornee (“a day's work, a journey”)) and mon; equivalent to journey + -man.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/journeyman