yeomen

noun pl. yeomen

1. Historical, Brit.
   1. an attendant or manservant in a royal or noble household
   2. an assistant or subordinate, as to a sheriff
   3. a freeholder of a class below the gentry, who worked his own land
2. Brit.
   1. a person who owns and cultivates a relatively small tract of land
   2. yeoman of the (royal) guard
   3. a member of the yeomanry (sense )
3. U.S. Navy a petty officer assigned to clerical duty

Origin: ME yeman, prob. contr. < yengman, yung man, lit., young man

adjective