goodman
noun
the master of a household; husband.
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goodman
1 American
[good-muhn]
/ ˈgʊd mən /
noun
Archaic.
goodmen
plural
-
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.
Goodman
2
American
[good-muhn]
/ ˈgʊd mən /
noun
goodman
1
British
/ ˈɡʊdmən /
noun
-
a husband
-
a man not of gentle birth: used as a title
-
a master of a household
Goodman
2
British
/ ˈɡʊdmən /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of goodman
Middle English word dating back to 1125–75; see origin at good, -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.
See Examples For:
Bell, my wife, she loves not strife, Yet she will lead me if she can; And oft, to live a quiet life, I'm forced to yield, though I'm goodman.
From Rob of the Bowl, Vol. I (of 2) A Legend of St. Inigoe's by Kennedy, John P.
"And I am for goodman Thorne's," said another; and so the party separated.
From William Shakespeare as he lived. An Historical Tale by Curling, Henry
And the bairns stood round about, and the goodman sat by and looked on.
From Tales from the Fjeld A Second Series of Popular Tales by Asbj?rnsen, P. Chr.
One evening the goodman came home, at a late hour, full of wonderment.
From Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales A Sequel to the Nursery Rhymes of England by Halliwell-Phillipps, J. O. (James Orchard)
Indeed, Prudence, I have seen no ghost, and goodman Wizard has failed me utterly; nor sprite nor phantom has been near me.
From Judith Shakespeare Her love affairs and other adventures by Black, William
Soon enough, Andrew Goodman was on his way to Mississippi to help register Black Americans to vote.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
The Liuzzo, Dahmer, and Goodman families know this all too well.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Earlier, Alex Goodman KC, for Crowborough Shield, said the Home Office wrongly decided the need to accommodate asylum seekers constituted an "emergency" under planning rules, meaning it was automatically granted permission to develop the site.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
“Sports broadcasting is going to look very different in the future,” says Michael Goodman, director of entertainment research at Parks Associates, a market-research and consulting firm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Mrs. Goodman was leaning on the red Coca-Cola box.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
But when they came to the gate of the Thorp, there were assembled the goodmen and swains to meet them with torches and wine in their honour.
From The Roots of the Mountains; Wherein Is Told Somewhat of the Lives of the Men of Burgdale by Morris, William
Moreover the goodmen and swains of the said township were no ill folk, but bold of heart, free of speech, and goodly of favour; and the women of them fair, kind, and trusty.
From Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair by Morris, William
All the goodmen took one counsel, and went to Hoskuld and told him their trouble.
From Laxdæla Saga Translated from the Icelandic by Press, Muriel A.C.
Ho, Phyllis and Kate and bonny Nell Come hither, and buffet the goodmen well, An they gather not for hall and hearth, Fair bays to grace the evening mirth.
From In The Yule-Log Glow—Book 3 Christmas Poems from 'round the World by Morris, Harrison S. (Harrison Smith)
Sad-colored mantles the goodmen wore, but their doublets were scarlet, and with their green waistcoats and red caps, surely the Puritan men were sufficiently gayly dressed to suit any fancy save that of a cavalier.
From Sabbath in Puritan New England by Earle, Alice Morse
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.
