footman

Meaning

1. A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot soldier.
2. A man in waiting; a male servant whose duties are to attend the door, the carriage, the table, etc.
3. A servant who runs in front of his master's carriage.
4. A metallic stand with four feet, for keeping anything warm before a fire.
5. A moth of the family Arctiidae (or subfamily Arctiinae); -- so called from its livery-like colors.
6. A moth of the family Arctiidae (or subfamily Arctiinae); -- so called from its livery-like colors.
7. A bar that connects the treadle of a spinning wheel to the wheel.

Synonyms

lackey

servant

valet

manservant

foot-soldier

foot soldier

flunkey

groom

infantryman

peon

flunky

stableman

steward

male servant

samurai’s attendant

running dog

dependant

liveried manservant

equerry

errand boy

fag

gopher

intendant

man-servant

menial

pedestrian

postman

server

servitor

valet de chambre

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: fotman

Inherited from Old English: *fōtman

Cognate with Old English: fēþman

In summary

From Middle English fotman, footman, foteman (“foot soldier, running footman”), from Old English *fōtman, *fōtmann (attested only as Old English fēþman, fēþemann (“footman”), equivalent to foot + man.