/bat"meuhn/ , n. , pl. batmen . (in the British army)
a soldier assigned to an officer as a servant.
[ 1745-55; short for bat-horse man, equiv. to bat bât packsaddle ( bastum, n. deriv. of * bastare to carry bastân, re-formation of Gk bastázein to lift, carry) + HORSE + MAN 1 ]