ˈräbə(r)dzmən noun
( plural roberdsmen )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Middle English roberdesman, robertesman, probably from Robertes (gen. of the name Robert, probably considered an appropriate fictitious name for a robber because of the similarity in sound to Middle English robbere robber) + Middle English man
: one of a class of vagabond thieves and robbers in 14th century England