noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈhæŋˌmæn/without æ-raising
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈheɪ̯ŋˌmeə̯n/æ-raising
/ˈhɛ̃ŋˌmɛə̯n/æ-raising
CMU ARPABET:HH AE1 NG M AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An executioner responsible for hanging criminals.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Someone responsible for hanging pictures and other artworks in a gallery, museum etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A guessing game where one has to guess the word an opponent is thinking of by guessing one letter at a time, and involving the gradual drawing of a stick figure hanging from the gallows.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
an executioner who hangs the condemned person
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: executioner, public executioner
History
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English hangman, hongman, hangeman, equivalent to hang + -man.
Across languages
Translations
75 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
جَلَّاد
(jallād)
— executioner
Armenian:
դահիճ
(dahič)
— executioner
Azerbaijani:
cəllad
— executioner
Azerbaijani:
başkəsən
— executioner
Bulgarian:
палач
(palač)
— executioner
Chinese Mandarin:
劊子手 /刽子手
(guìzishǒu)
— executioner
