landsman

¹

[ landz-muhn ]

noun

, plural lands·men.

1. Also a person who lives or works on land.
2. an inexperienced sailor or one who has not been to sea before.

landsman

²

[ lahnts-muhn ]

noun

, Yiddish.

, plural lands·leit [lahnts, -lahyt], English lands·men.

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

landsman

¹

/ ˈlændzmən /

noun

1. a person who works or lives on land, as distinguished from a seaman
2. a person with no experience at sea

landsman

²

/ ˈlændzmən /

noun

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

Gender Note

See -man.

Word History and Origins

Origin of landsman¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of landsman¹

from Yiddish

Example Sentences

“He was with a landsman—er, friend, I think? I’m sorry. I don’t know.”

From Literature

“In our area, people want to get back to work, they’re willing to take a business risk on whether or not they catch this” virus, said GOP Rep. James Stricker, an oil landsman from Farmington.

From Washington Times

I think he is trying to communicate with his landsmen using expressions that are unique to a very small population.

From Washington Post

Farmer, goatherd, cattleherd, hunter or artisan, the landsman looks at the ocean as at a salt unsteady realm that has nothing to do with him at all.

From Literature

The Jewish minority in Berlin were betting on assimilation and acceptance, trying to distance themselves from their more alien landsmen to the east.

From New York Times

Related Words

• compatriot