Dictionary

factotum en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /fækˈtoʊ.təm/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /fækˈtəʊ.təm/ (UK)

Etymology

Ellipsis of domine fac totum, dominus fac totum /dominus factotum (“absolute ruler; head servant”), from Medieval Latin domine fac tōtum (“O Lord, do everything”), also with substition of nominative dominus for vocative domine.

Meanings

1. A person employed to perform all sorts of duties.
   • Biden’s and Bush’s factotums had to walk their statements quickly back, emphasizing that U.S. policy had not changed. 2021 November 5, Jon Schwarz, The Intercept, First Look Media:
2. A jack of all trades.
   • He lives with his devoted sister and factotum, Cyril (Lesley Manville), and a series of women who tend to be quietly eased out when they demand too much time and attention or — heaven forfend! — dare to speak during Woodcock’s monastic creative routine. 2018 January 10, Ann Hornaday, “‘Phantom Thread’: In his final role, Daniel Day-Lewis reminds us he’s a monumental talent”, in Washington Post:
3. (historical) A large decorative printing block with a central space into which any letter can be inserted, used to mark the beginning of a chapter of a book in early printing.
4. (dated) A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.
5. (dated) A general servant.
   • I had almost forgotten Monee, the grinning old man who prepared our meal. […] He was Po-Po’s factotum—cook, butler, and climber of the bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees; and, added to all else, a mighty favourite with his mistress; with whom he would sit smoking and gossiping by the hour. 1847 March 30, Herman Melville, chapter 73, in Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:
   • Susan Bonner’s mistress hearing of Strong’s arrival sent for him at this juncture, and the Chevalier went up to her ladyship not without hopes that he should find her more tractable than her factotum Mrs. Bonner. 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 61, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

Forms

Synonyms

handyman · jack of all trades · do-all · sciolist

Translations (43)

el παντοποιός (person having many responsibilities) · pl totumfacki (person having many responsibilities) · nl factotum (general servant) · nl factotum (jack of all trades) · ky ишенген кызматкер (person having many responsibilities) · nl manusje-van-alles (jack of all trades) · bg момче за всичко (jack of all trades) · de Faktotum (general servant) · hu ezermester (jack of all trades) · ru мастер на все руки (jack of all trades) · pl omnibus (jack of all trades) · it factotum (general servant) · nl manusje-van-alles (general servant) · es muchacho de los mandados (general servant) · es todero (person having many responsibilities) · pt faz tudo (person having many responsibilities) · sh katica za sve (jack of all trades) · pt factoto (person having many responsibilities) · io faktotum (jack of all trades) · de Faktotum (person having many responsibilities) · da altmuligmand (person having many responsibilities) · es hombre orquesta (jack of all trades) · pt faz-tudo (jack of all trades) · ky фактотум (person having many responsibilities) · es muchacho de los mandados (jack of all trades) · cs děvče pro všechno (general servant) · hu tótumfaktum (person having many responsibilities) · it factotum (person having many responsibilities) · pl totumfacka (person having many responsibilities) · sv faktotum (person having many responsibilities) · fr factotum (person having many responsibilities) · pl totumfacki (general servant) · de Alleskönner (jack of all trades) · hu tótumfaktum (general servant) · gd gille-gach-gnothaich (general servant) · pt factótum (person having many responsibilities) · pl totumfacka (general servant) · sv alltiallo (person having many responsibilities) · nl duiveldoetal (jack of all trades) · sv allt-i-allo (general servant) · es hombre orquesta (general servant) · de Mädchen für alles (jack of all trades) · da faktotum (general servant)