n.
Pronunciation: ' y ō -m ə n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English yoman, yeman
Date: 14th century
1 a : an attendant or officer in a royal or noble household b : a person attending or assisting another : RETAINER c : YEOMAN OF THE GUARD d : a naval petty officer who performs clerical duties
2 a : a person who owns and cultivates a small farm specifically : one belonging to a class of English freeholders below the gentry b : a person of the social rank of yeoman
3 : one that performs great and loyal service <did a yeoman ' s job in seeing the program through>