gownsman

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a member of a profession traditionally marked by a gown, especially a cleric, lawyer, or university member

   The gownsman left the college hall still wearing his academic robe.

2. 2
   noun

   a civilian, as distinguished from a soldier

   The debate set the gownsman against the officer on questions of policy.

Formed from gown + -s- + man. The gown stands metonymically for learned, legal, or clerical professions whose members traditionally wore one.

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