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watchman

[ woch-muhn ]
/ ˈwɒtʃ mən /
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noun, plural watch·men.
a person who keeps guard over a building at night, to protect it from fire, vandals, or thieves.
(formerly) a person who guards or patrols the streets at night.
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Origin of watchman

late Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at watch, man

OTHER WORDS FROM watchman

watch·man·ly, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use watchman in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for watchman

watchman
/ (ˈwɒtʃmən) /

noun plural -men
a person employed to guard buildings or property
(formerly) a man employed to patrol or guard the streets at night
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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