HEADMAN

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does headman mean? 

• HEADMAN (noun)
  The noun HEADMAN has 2 senses:

1. an executioner who beheads the condemned person

2. the head of a tribe or clan

  Familiarity information: HEADMAN used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HEADMAN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An executioner who beheads the condemned person

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

headman; headsman

Hypernyms ("headman" is a kind of...):

executioner; public executioner (an official who inflicts capital punishment in pursuit of a warrant)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The head of a tribe or clan

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

chief; chieftain; headman; tribal chief

Hypernyms ("headman" is a kind of...):

leader (a person who rules or guides or inspires others)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "headman"):

Indian chief; Indian chieftain (the leader of a group of Native Americans)

pendragon (the supreme war chief of the ancient Britons)

Instance hyponyms:

Glendower; Owen Glendower (Welsh chieftain who led a revolt against Henry IV's rule in Wales (1359-1416))

Hrolf; Rolf; Rollo (Norse chieftain who became the first duke of Normandy (860-931))