factotum

[fak-toh-tuhm]

noun

1. a person, as a handyman or servant, employed to do all kinds of work around the house.

2. any employee or official having many different responsibilities.

factotum

/ fækˈtəʊtəm /

noun

1. a person employed to do all kinds of work

Word History and Origins

Origin of factotum¹

1560–70; < Medieval Latin, equivalent to Latin fac make, do (imperative of facere ) + tōtum, neuter of tōtus all

Word History and Origins

Origin of factotum¹

C16: from Medieval Latin, from Latin fac! do! + tōtum , from tōtus (adj) all

Example Sentences

During a chance encounter chauffeuring François Truffaut around, the master auteur told the desperate factotum that he had an eye for directing.

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It’s worse than that: Like Stalin’s inner circle or a Bourbon king’s courtiers, Trump’s factotums seek to outdo each other in embracing absurd, impossible, offensive and dangerous ideas.

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Judge Sessions’ ruling will of course be appealed to a higher court by some factotum of the Trump regime, and then that court’s decision on that appeal will be appealed as well.

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Partway through the dizzying and appalling last two weeks of trade wars, courtroom battles, street abductions and social media posturing, these two Trump factotums wound up in a war of words.

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With a chemistry background, Jean assumed the role of winemaker, with Baker as general factotum.

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