Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 05, 2010 is:

journeyman • \JER-nee-mun\ • noun
1 : a worker who has learned a trade and works for another person *2 : an experienced reliable worker, athlete, or performer


Example sentence:
The team is ready to trade three of its rookie hopefuls for the journeyman pitcher.


Did you know?
The "journey" in "journeyman" refers to a sense of this familiar word not often used anymore: "a day's labor." This sense of "journey" was first used in the 14th century. When "journeyman" appeared the following century, it originally referred to a person who, having learned a handicraft or trade through an apprenticeship, worked for daily wages. In the 16th century, "journeyman" picked up a figurative (and mainly deprecatory) sense; namely, "one who drudges for another." These days, however, "journeyman" has little to do with drudgery, and lots to do with knowing a trade inside out.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.




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