Wenchman
/ˈwɛntʃmən/noun
An obsolete term for a man who consorts with or pursues women, especially women of questionable reputation.
Did you know?The word reflects an older meaning of “wench,” which could refer not only to a young woman but also, derogatorily, to a sexually disreputable woman; “wenchman” therefore carried a moral accusation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*mann-
“Person or human being; the ancestor of English “man””
Old English
Old English
mann
“A person or human being, later also specifically a male person”
Middle English
Middle English
wenche
“A girl or young woman; later also a disparaging term for a sexually available woman”
Late Middle English
English
wenchman
“A man who consorts with or pursues wenches”
16th–17th Century
English
wenchman
“A womanizer or disreputable gallant; now obsolete”
Modern English
English
wenchman
“An obsolete historical term, encountered mainly in dictionaries and older texts”