landsman

¹ American  

[landz-muhn] / ˈlændz mən /

noun

landsmen plural

1. Also a person who lives or works on land.

2. an inexperienced sailor or one who has not been to sea before.

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landsman ² American  

[lahnts-muhn] / ˈlɑnts mən /

noun

Yiddish.

landsleit, plural landsmen plural

1. a person from the same town, geographical area, region, etc., as another; compatriot.

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landsman ¹ British  

/ ˈlændzmən /

noun

1. a person who works or lives on land, as distinguished from a seaman

2. a person with no experience at sea

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landsman ² British  

/ ˈlændzmən /

noun

1. a Jewish compatriot from the same area of origin as another

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Gender

See -man.

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• landsmen
  plural
• landsleit
  plural

Etymology

Origin of landsman

before 1000 for sense “native”; Middle English landes man, londes man, Old English landes mann; see land, 's ¹, -man

Example Sentences

She married a landsman, who became a diamond merchant; in the early nineteen-fifties, the couple resettled in the Bronx, and some fifteen years later, as empty-nesters, they went back to Israel.

From The New Yorker • Mar. 8, 2017

He had the tolerance of a landsman, the faith that comes with witnessing the changing seasons year in and year out.

From Time • Jul. 25, 2012

Joe Coomer is another sort of adventurer, a landsman who falls in love with a 60-year-old, 28-ft. wooden motor launch with a short mast and a steadying sail.

From Time Magazine Archive

In the language of the landsman, we park our boat at our dock as you might park a motor home in your driveway.

From Time Magazine Archive

Mr. Whitby had likely assumed that I was a landsman to him, provided Frankie hadn’t told him that outright.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• compatriot