tradesman

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree English trade English -s- Proto-Indo-European *mon- Proto-Germanic *mann- Proto-West Germanic *mann Old English mann Middle English man Middle English -man English -man English tradesman From trade + -s- + -man.

1. A skilled manual worker (implied male).
2. A manual worker (implied male) who visits private premises to perform his job.

   “Tradesmen should use the rear entrance.”

3. One who works in trade (commerce); a shopkeeper.

   “After this memorable event, I went to the hatter's, and the bootmaker's, and the hosier's, and felt rather like Mother Hubbard's dog whose outfit required the services of so many trades. […] It was not necessary to explain everywhere that I had come into a handsome property; but whenever I said anything to that effect, it followed that the officiating tradesman ceased to have his attention diverted through the window by the High-street, and concentrated his mind upon me.”

   “During the morning she had seen several people and quite a number (comparatively) of tradesmen’s vans.”