Freemason

American  

[free-mey-suhn, free-mey-] / ˈfriˌmeɪ sən, ˌfriˈmeɪ- /

noun

1. a member of a widely distributed secret order Free and Accepted Masons, having for its object mutual assistance and the promotion of brotherly love among its members.

2. (lowercase)

   1. one of a class of skilled stoneworkers of the Middle Ages, possessing secret signs and passwords.

   2. a member of a society composed of such workers, which also included honorary members accepted masons not connected with the building trades.

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Freemason ¹ British  

/ ˌfriːməˈsɒnɪk, ˈfriːˌmeɪsən /

noun

1. Sometimes shortened to: Mason.  a member of the widespread secret order, constituted in London in 1717, of Free and Accepted Masons , pledged to brotherly love, faith, and charity

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freemason ² British  

/ ˈfriːˌmeɪsən, ˌfriːməˈsɒnɪk /

noun

1. medieval history a member of a guild of itinerant skilled stonemasons, who had a system of secret signs and passwords with which they recognized each other

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Other Word Forms

• Freemasonic adjective
• freemasonic adjective

Etymology

Origin of Freemason

First recorded in 1350–1400, Freemason is from the Middle English word fremason. See free, mason