bowman

• bowsman

From Middle English boweman, bouman, boughman, equivalent to bow +‎ -man.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbəʊmən/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (US) enPR: bōʹmən, IPA^(key): /ˈboʊmən/
• Rhymes: -əʊmən

bowman (plural bowmen)

1. (archery) A man who uses a bow; an archer.

   Coordinate term: bowwoman

   • 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Jeremy [Jeremiah] iiij:[29], folio xxv, verso, column 2:

     The whole londe ſhal fle, foꝛ the noyſe of the hoꝛſmen and bowmen: […]

   • 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 311, about the church at Pembridge:

     The walls are slitted with embrasures through which bowmen could fire, indicating that the belfry also served as a stronghold during border skirmishes.

From bow (of boat or ship) + -man.

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈbaʊmən/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -aʊmən

bowman (plural bowmen)

1. (nautical) The person, in a team or among oarsmen, positioned nearest the bow.

• womban