henchman

Meaning

1. A loyal and trusted follower or subordinate.
2. A person who supports a political figure chiefly out of selfish interests.
3. An assistant member of a criminal gang.
4. (obsolete) A page to a prince or other person of high rank.

Synonyms

follower

lackey

minion

stooge

subordinate

supporter

underling

collaborator

squire

adherent

partner in crime

flunky

yes man

confederate

friend

lover

❤️

member

retainer

satellite

📡

servant

servile

armour-bearer

sword-bearer

pursuivant

accomplice

chief bodyguard

advocate

advocator

associate

bodyguard

cohort

collaborationist

colleague

creature

crony

disciple

fan

flunkey

fold

Translations

sbire

Anhänger

secuaz

uşak

Scherge

séide

Gefolgsmann

Anhängerin

acolyte

adepte

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈhɛnt͡ʃ.mən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: henxman

Inherited from Old English: *hengstmann

Cognate with German: Hengstmann

Cognate with Icelandic: hestamaður

In summary

From Middle English henxman (“page, attendant”), from Old English *hengstmann, *hengestmann (“groom”, literally “horseman”), from hengst, hengest (“stallion, horse, steed, gelding”) (from Proto-Germanic *hangistaz (“stallion”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱanḱest-, *kankest- (“horse”)) + mann (“man”). Cognate with archaic German Hengstmann (“a groom”), Icelandic hestamaður (“horseman, groom”).