Dictionary

bandsman en · NOUN

Pronunciation

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Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *bandiz Old English bend Middle English band English band English -s- English -man English bandsman From band + -s- + -man.

Meanings

1. A player in a musical band, especially a military or brass band.
   • It was military bandsmen, their uniform coats unbuttoned, who supplied the merry tune, from a clarinet, a tuba, a fife. 2005, E. L. Doctorow, The March, New York: Random House, Part One, p. 28:
   • ‘Honourable’ bandsman Thomas James will feature in display at National Army Museum highlighting service of black soldiers in Napoleonic wars[.] 2025 October 21, Donna Ferguson, “London museum identifies black Waterloo veteran in rare 1821 painting”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • If the reader finds a certain monotony in the words chosen by the translator I hope he will realize that the bandsman has to operate within the limits of his instrument. 1973, Cecil Parrott, transl., The Good Soldier Švejk, London: William Heinemann, translation of original by Jaroslav Hašek, Translator's introduction, page xxi:
2. (historical) A labourer (loader) working with a band of men.

Forms