henchman

Etymology

From Middle English henxman (“page, attendant”), from Old English *hengstmann, *hengestmann (“groom”, literally “horseman”), from hengst, hengest (“stallion, horse, steed, gelding”) (from Proto-Germanic *hangistaz (“stallion”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱanḱest-, *kankest- (“horse”)) + mann (“man”). Cognate with archaic German Hengstmann (“a groom”), Icelandic hestamaður (“horseman, groom”).

noun

  1. A loyal and trusted follower or subordinate.
  2. A person who supports a political figure chiefly out of selfish interests.
  3. An assistant member of a criminal gang.
  4. (obsolete) A page to a prince or other person of high rank.

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