Truchman
/ˈtrʌtʃmən/noun
An interpreter, especially one serving as a guide or translator in the medieval Middle East.
Did you know?Truchman belongs to the same ancient translation family as dragoman and targum, words carried across Arabic, Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek, and European languages.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Semitic
Aramaic
תרגם (targem)
“to translate or interpret”
Biblical and Rabbinic Periods
Hebrew
תַּרְגּוּם (targum)
“a translation or interpretive rendering of scripture”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
تَرْجُمَان (tarjumān)
“an interpreter or translator”
Medieval Greek
Greek
δραγουμάνος (dragoumanos)
“an interpreter, especially one attached to Eastern courts or diplomatic missions”
14th Century
Middle English
trucheman
“An interpreter or translator, particularly in dealings with foreign peoples”
Modern English
English
truchman
“An archaic or historical term for an interpreter”