batman

[ bat-muhn ]

noun

, plural bat·men.

1. a soldier assigned to an officer as a servant.

Batman

¹

/ ˈbætˌmæn /

noun

1. a character in an American comic strip and several films who secretly assumes a batlike costume in order to fight crime

batman

²

/ ˈbætmən /

noun

1. an officer's personal servant in any of the armed forces

Batman

³

/ ˈbætmən /

noun

1. BatmanJohn18011839MAustralianMISC: pioneer John . 1801–39, a pioneer who selected the site of the city of Melbourne

Batman

1. A comic strip character that first appeared in 1939. With his faithful sidekick Robin (the Boy Wonder), Batman fights crime in Gotham City, foiling evil villains such as the Joker and the Riddler.

Notes

Batman's adventures have been widely adapted for television and a number of motion pictures.

Word History and Origins

Origin of batman¹

1745–55; short for bat-horse man, equivalent to bat < French bât packsaddle (< Vulgar Latin *bastum, noun derivative of *bastāre to carry < Late Greek *bastân, re-formation of Greek bastázein to lift, carry) + horse + man

Word History and Origins

Origin of batman¹

C18: from Old French bat , bast , from Medieval Latin bastum packsaddle

Example Sentences

"He spent a few months with him as his batman and they got up to quite a few things," she said.

From BBC

The man, who wears a shiny batman suit complete with a coronavirus-ready sanitary facemask, delivers a few dozen plates of hot food to homeless people throughout the South American capital on a regular basis.

From Reuters

An Army recruiter who called himself "Colorado batman" on social media was arrested Monday on suspicion of soliciting girls as young as 10, authorities said.

From Fox News

There are other accounts of an officer with shell shock having to be physically restrained by his "burly batman".

From BBC

There’s Bruce Wayne in an elegant tuxedo jacket with a not-so-discreet batman logo, carrying a leather backpack strapped to a skateboard.

From Washington Times