journeyman

American  

[jur-nee-muhn] / ˈdʒɜr ni mən /

noun

plural

journeymen

1. a person who has served an apprenticeship at a trade or handicraft and is certified to work at it assisting or under another person.

2. any experienced, competent but routine worker or performer.

3. a person hired to do work for another, usually for a day at a time.

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journeyman British  

/ ˈdʒɜːnɪmən /

noun

1. a craftsman, artisan, etc, who is qualified to work at his trade in the employment of another

2. a competent workman

3. (formerly) a worker hired on a daily wage

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journeyman Cultural  

1. A skilled artisan who works on hire for master artisans rather than for himself.

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Etymology

Origin of journeyman

1425–75; late Middle English journeman, equivalent to journee a day's work ( journey ) + man man

Explanation

A journeyman is someone who's advanced beyond being an apprentice, but who works for someone else. A journeyman who works for a stone mason is fairly experienced at masonry. If you're a journeyman, you're a person who is skilled at a trade or a craft, possibly one who began as an apprentice to an experienced artisan or worker. As a journeyman, a glassblower or stone carver or carpenter has enough skill to do the job well, but hasn't gone into business for herself yet. Journeyman comes from the Vulgar Latin root of journey, diurnum, "day," and man, "person."

Example Sentences

He said battery-electric vehicles’ high-voltage systems require technicians the equivalent of journeyman electricians.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

After a difficult start to his NFL career, it seemed Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold was destined to become a journeyman back-up.

From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026

In a journeyman career that took him to nine different teams, he saw pretty much every type of coach and system.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Six-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz was put through his paces by German journeyman Yannick Hanfmann on Wednesday before swatting him aside to book his place in the Australian Open third round.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

No other armorer in the city could get that deep a green; he knew the secret of putting color in the steel itself, paint and enamel were the crutches of a journeyman.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin