the master of a household; husband.
(initial capital letter) a title of respect used for a man below the rank of gentleman, especially a farmer or yeoman.
a husband
a man not of gentle birth: used as a title
a master of a household
Middle English word dating back to 1125–75; see origin at good, -man
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Both Manuel Quezon and goodman Osme�a were mum last week.
From Time Magazine Archive
As the clocks tolled one, there was a sound of rapid wheels along the road and a coach stopped before goodman Blossom's.
From A Maid of Many Moods by Sheard, Virna
He begged her not to move, and asked if the goodman was at home.
From Sophia A Romance by Weyman, Stanley John
"Yes," she said, "so I am; only just now my goodman is out fishing, and as he's rather late, it makes me anxious."
From The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories by Morgan, Mary de
Goodman Asquith had fain pick a bit of dinner in the precincts; The Harcourt watcheth him with rolling eye, And goodman Asquith shivereth.
From Outlook Odes by Crosland, T. W. H. (Thomas William Hodgson)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
