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• chapman
  chapman

  noun

  a peddler.
• Chapman
  Chapman

  noun

  Frank Michler 1864–1945, U.S. ornithologist, museum curator, and author.

chapman

¹ American  

[chap-muhn] / ˈtʃæp mən /

noun

chapmen plural

1. British. a peddler.

2. Archaic. a merchant.

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Chapman ² American  

[chap-muhn] / ˈtʃæp mən /

noun

1. Frank Michler 1864–1945, U.S. ornithologist, museum curator, and author.

2. George, 1559–1634, English poet, dramatist, and translator.

3. John. Appleseed, Johnny.

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Chapman ¹ British  

/ ˈtʃæpmən /

noun

1. George 1559–1634, English dramatist and poet, noted for his translation of Homer

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chapman ² British  

/ ˈtʃæpmən /

noun

1. archaic a trader, esp an itinerant pedlar

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chapmanship
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• chapmen
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chapman

before 900; Middle English; Old English cēapman ( cēap buying and selling + man man ); cognate with Dutch koopman, German Kaufmann; see cheap

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chapman Chapman chapmen

“This incredible waste of time, human potential and taxpayer money” Topics: Piper Kerman, piper chapman, , orange is the new black, interview, Netflix, series, , This article originally appeared on Alternet.

From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2013

Even now I had no liking for a seat on an office stool with a pen behind my ear, or going to and fro as a chapman.

From The MS. in a Red Box by Hamilton, John Arthur

I know your errand, old chapman of cheap liquors, and why you have brought your cronies.

From Rob of the Bowl, Vol. I (of 2) A Legend of St. Inigoe's by Kennedy, John P.

Ye breed o' the chapman, ye're never oot o' your gate.

From The Proverbs of Scotland by Hislop, Alexander

A certain chapman had displayed a number of necklaces, and other showy trinkets of little value, upon his stand, which was thus the most brilliantly-decorated of any in the market.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 11 by Wilson, John Mackay

There’s been plenty of skepticism about whether the latter two were Chapman copycats rather than murders actually inspired by the book.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026

Chapman proceeded to build a series of brilliant sports cars, win a lot of Formula One championships and erase millions in investments before his death in 1982.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Professor Chapman and her colleagues found that the number of sunspots visible at this stage is closely connected to the highest sunspot count reached during the next solar cycle.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026

Galloway says he got a glimpse of that resistance this spring when Chapman University hosted a symposium examining AI’s impact on entertainment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

It was clear that Chapman had looked more deeply into the case than he had initially claimed.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

The public crier remained in the middle of the bazaar alone with the slave-girl; the chapmen had not only retired into their shops but barred the doors behind them.

From Halil the Pedlar A Tale of Old Stambul by Jókai, Mór

All along the Cheape, as he rode among the chapmen, Round by Black Friars, to the Two-Necked Swan Coloured like the sunset, prentices and maidens Danced for red roses on the vigil of St. John.

From Collected Poems Volume Two by Noyes, Alfred

Merrily laughed the chapmen then, reining their great white horses back, "When the pageant passes, lad, we'll up and follow on!"

From Collected Poems Volume Two by Noyes, Alfred

He was no better served than the mummers, clowns, jugglers, and petty chapmen who, wandering abroad, were deemed rogues and sturdy beggars.

From The Strollers by Fisher, Harrison

He solde his gold ring ful dere, Was neuere non so dere sold, For chapmen, neyþer yung ne old: 1640 Þat sholen71 ye forthward ful wel heren, Yif þat ye wile þe storie heren.

From The Lay of Havelok the Dane by Unknown