bedesman: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/ArchaicHistorical/Literary
Quick answer
What does “bedesman” mean?
A person who prays for the soul of another, especially someone paid or supported to do so.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who prays for the soul of another, especially someone paid or supported to do so; historically, a pensioner or almsman required to pray for a benefactor.
An archaic term for someone who lives on charity, often in return for prayers or small services; by extension, a supplicant or petitioner.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare and archaic in both varieties. 'Beadsman' is the slightly more frequent historical spelling.
Connotations
Evokes medieval history, monastic life, or charity in a pre-modern context.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency. Primarily encountered in historical texts, poetry, or academic discussions of medieval society.
Grammar
How to Use “bedesman” in a Sentence
[be/act as] a bedesman for [benefactor][support/maintain] a bedesmanVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, literary, or religious studies contexts.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
A precise term in medieval social history.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bedesman”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bedesman”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bedesman”
- Misspelling as 'beadsman' (which is an accepted variant). Using it to describe a modern homeless person.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A bedesman had a formal, often contracted, role to pray for a patron in exchange for support, while a beggar simply asks for alms without a specific reciprocal duty.
No, it is an archaic term. You might encounter it in historical novels, poetry (like Tennyson's), or academic writing about the Middle Ages.
The word derives from 'bede', meaning prayer, which is related to the 'bead' of a rosary used to count prayers. 'Beadsman' directly references these prayer beads.
Historically, the term was masculine. The equivalent for a woman was 'bede(s)woman' or 'bead(s)woman', though it is even rarer in records.
A person who prays for the soul of another, especially someone paid or supported to do so.
Bedesman is usually historical/literary in register.
Bedesman: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbiːdzmən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbiːdzmən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He lived the life of a bedesman. (An idiom implying humble, dependent existence.)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A man who says his BEADS (prayers) for a living = BEDESman.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRAYER AS CURRENCY (One exchanges prayers for material support).
Practice
Quiz
In a historical context, a bedesman's primary function was to: