penman

American

[pen-muhn] / ˈpɛn mən /

noun

plural

penmen

a person who writes or copies; scribe; copyist.
an expert in penmanship.
a writer or author.

penman British

/ ˈpɛnmən /

noun

a person skilled in handwriting
a person who writes by hand in a specified way

a bad penman
an author

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of penman

First recorded in 1585–95; pen ¹ + -man

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"That's not a place any government wants to be because it doesn't deliver for the people of the country," Penman added.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, said civil servants "need to be able to build careers for the longer-term across the UK, including in London where there will now be fewer opportunities".

From BBC • May 13, 2025

FDA general secretary Dave Penman said the new pay deal represented a "a clear demonstration" that this message from the strikes had "now been heard".

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2023

"I think so," Dave Penman of the civil servants' union the FDA said.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2023

He walked off the step of his verandah into the arms of Captain Penman and half-a-dozen of the crew of the Good Intent.

From Patsy by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023