Meaning & use
herdsman
Last updated
UK/ˈhɜːdzmən/
US/ˈhɜːrdzmən/
Meaning
nouncountableold-fashioned
A man whose job is to look after a group of livestock, such as cattle, sheep or reindeer.
Grammar: Irregular plural: one herdsman, two herdsmen.
Patterns
- a herdsman with a herd of something
The herdsman led the cattle down the valley at dawn.
A young herdsman watched over the goats on the hillside.
The herdsman counted his sheep before nightfall.
Word forms
| plural | herdsmen |
|---|
Common combinations
- cattle herdsman
- The cattle herdsman rose before sunrise.
- reindeer herdsman
- A reindeer herdsman moves with the herd across the snow.
- experienced herdsman
- An experienced herdsman knows each animal.
- nomadic herdsman
- The nomadic herdsman crossed the plain with his camels.
- herdsman and his dog
- The herdsman and his dog gathered the flock.
Synonyms and how they differ
- herder
- Herder is gender-neutral and more current than herdsman.
- shepherd
- A shepherd looks after sheep specifically, whereas a herdsman may tend any livestock.
- cowboy
- Cowboy is American and tied to cattle on horseback, a narrower and more cultural image than herdsman.
- drover
- A drover moves animals from one place to another, while a herdsman tends them more continuously.
Word family
Commonly confused: herdsman or shepherd?
herdsman vs shepherd
A shepherd tends sheep only, while herdsman is wider and covers cattle and other animals.
Practice
Which person would be called a herdsman?
Choose one answer.
A herdsman looks after livestock. The other jobs may be rural but do not involve tending animals.
Make it your own
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