dragoman

[ drag-uh-muhn ]

noun

, plural drag·o·mans, drag·o·men.

1. (in the Middle East) a professional interpreter.

dragoman

/ ˈdræɡəʊmən /

noun

1. (in some Middle Eastern countries, esp formerly) a professional interpreter or guide

Other Words From

• drag·o·man·ic [drag-, uh, -, man, -ik], drago·man·ish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dragoman¹

First recorded in 1300–50; from French; replacing Middle English drogman “interpreter,” from Middle French drog ( o ) man, dragoman, from Medieval Greek drago ( u ) mános, from Semitic; compare Arabic tarjumān, Akkadian targumannu

Word History and Origins

Origin of dragoman¹

C14: from French, from Italian dragomano, from Medieval Greek dragoumanos, from Arabic targumān an interpreter, from Aramaic tūrgemānā, of Akkadian origin

Example Sentences

“That this slippery narration — a risky choice — not only propels the story forward but also resonates with the book’s themes of instability and skewed perception is a testament to Dragoman’s powers,” Rebecca Makkai writes in her review.

From New York Times

Like the mysterious grandmother, Dragoman seems to have our best interests at heart.

From New York Times

“Maglya,” the original Hungarian title of Gyorgy Dragoman’s novel “The Bone Fire,” means not quite a bonfire but a pyre, a place where one might be burned alive.

From New York Times

Indeed, “The Bone Fire” hews closely to the history of this region of Romania, where Dragoman himself grew up before moving to Budapest in 1988.

From New York Times

That this slippery narration — a risky choice — not only propels the story forward but also resonates with the book’s themes of instability and skewed perception is a testament to Dragoman’s powers.

From New York Times

Related Words

• linguist