headsman C2 Topic:Crime & Justice US /ˈhɛdzmən/ UK /ˈhedzmən/ See IPA manual Freq #87159 Meanings 1 noun historical: an executioner who puts condemned people to death by beheading The condemned prisoner was led from the cell to the headsman. 2 noun archaic: a chief, leader, or principal man The village headsman spoke first during the council. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · historical: an executioner... executionerbeheaderdecapitator 2 noun · archaic: a chief, leader,... headmanchief Word family Related forms beheaddecapitationexecutioner Etymology From head's man or head + -s- + man. Middle English and Scots forms could mean a chief or head man; the later prominent sense is an executioner whose method is beheading. Topics Crime & Justice External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # headsman **Type:** Word **Level:** C2 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈhɛdzmən/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈhedzmən/ **Frequency rank:** 87159 ## Meanings 1. historical: an executioner who puts condemned people to death by beheading 2. archaic: a chief, leader, or principal man ## Examples - The condemned prisoner was led from the cell to the headsman. - The village headsman spoke first during the council. ## Synonyms - executioner - beheader - decapitator - headman ## Related Forms - behead - decapitation - executioner ## Etymology From head's man or head + -s- + man. Middle English and Scots forms could mean a chief or head man; the later prominent sense is an executioner whose method is beheading. ## Topics - Crime & Justice markdown