# yeoman

/ˈjoʊmən/ (US) · /jˈəʊmən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/yeoman
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. historical farmer

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

a man in the past who owned and worked on a small piece of land.

For teachers: a historical class of small freeholders who farmed their own land; a commoner of respectable standing below the gentry.

- The yeoman spent his days tending to the fields he had inherited from his father.
- In medieval social structures, the yeoman occupied a vital middle ground between the landless peasantry and the landed gentry.

### 2. diligent worker

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

a person who does very good, hard, and loyal work for a group or cause.

For teachers: a dependable, diligent, or loyal worker who performs a great service, often used in the idiom 'yeoman's service'.

- She did a yeoman's job organizing the charity event on such short notice.
- The administrative assistant performed yeoman's service during the merger, ensuring that no vital documentation was lost in the transition.

### 3. ceremonial guard

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Formal

a member of the special guards who protect the British King or Queen at the Tower of London.

For teachers: a member of the British monarch's ceremonial bodyguard, specifically a Yeoman of the Guard or a Yeoman Warder.

- The yeoman stood at the entrance to the palace in his traditional red uniform.
- Visitors to the Tower of London often stop to take photographs with a Yeoman Warder dressed in Tudor-style regalia.

### 4. naval clerk

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Technical

a person in the navy who does office work and keeps records.

For teachers: a petty officer in the US Navy or Coast Guard who performs clerical and administrative duties.

- The yeoman was responsible for updating the ship's logs and personnel files.
- After completing basic training, he was assigned as a yeoman to the admiral's staff, handling sensitive communications and scheduling.

## Examples

- The yeoman worked his own land and paid taxes to the king.
- In the 16th century, the yeoman was considered the backbone of the English countryside, providing both food and a steady supply of soldiers.
- The transition from a feudal system to a more market-driven economy allowed the yeoman to gain greater independence, though this status was eventually eroded by the enclosures of the 18th century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.