goodman
gb/ɡˈʊdmən/ us/ɡˈʊdmən/
A2
English
~ 9000
Goodman, gazda
NOUN
A2
1
Goodman
A1
Usage pattern:
[someone] Goodman
Sarah Goodman will give a talk at the conference tomorrow.
Sarah Goodman holnap előadást tart a konferencián.
The novel was written by Jonathan Goodman in 1998.
A regényt Jonathan Goodman írta 1998-ban.
Please send the package to Emma Goodman at this address.
Goodman won the award for best investigative reporting.
Benny Goodman was a famous American jazz clarinetist.
Learner examples
My teacher’s name is Lisa Goodman.
A tanárom neve Lisa Goodman.
Mr. Goodman is our new neighbor.
Goodman úr az új szomszédunk.
The letter is for David Goodman.
I saw the name Goodman on the door.
She married a man named Goodman.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes read the surname "Goodman" as the phrase "good man" and try to understand it as a description. When it is capitalized and used after a first name or title, it is a name, not an adjective + noun.
Meaning
the surname Goodman
Collocations
Mr. Goodman
|Ms. Goodman
|Dr. Goodman
|Benny Goodman
|the Goodman family
Synonyms
family name (General term for the last name of a person; not specific to the name Goodman.)
Antonyms
given name (Refers to a person’s first name, not their family name.)
Themes
people
|names
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The last name of a person, written as Goodman.
A surname used as the family name of a person, written with a capital G.
NOUN
C1
ARCHAIC
2
gazda
B1
Usage pattern:
the goodman of [a house]
The goodman of the house returned late from the fields.
A ház gazdája későn tért vissza a földekről.
The goodman sat by the fire while his children slept upstairs.
A gazda a tűz mellett ült, miközben a gyerekei az emeleten aludtak.
When the goodman spoke, everyone in the household fell silent.
The villagers gathered in the yard of the goodman’s cottage.
She waited by the door for the goodman to come home.
Learner examples
In this old story, the goodman works on the farm.
Ebben a régi történetben a gazda a gazdaságban dolgozik.
The goodman of the house is angry in the play.
A színdarabban a ház gazdája dühös.
In the poem, the goodman loves his family.
The goodman tells his son to be careful.
The goodman and his wife have three children.
Common mistake:
Learners may think "goodman" here simply means "a man who is good." In historical texts it refers to a social role: the male head of a household, not just a morally good man.
Meaning
male head of a household
Collocations
the goodman of the house
|the goodman and his wife
|our goodman
|the goodman came home
Synonyms
husband (Modern everyday term; does not carry the specific historical and social-status nuance of "goodman".)
Antonyms
wife (In a traditional household, the female spouse contrasted with the male head of the house.)
Themes
history
|family
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In old English use, a man who is the main head of his home and family, usually not rich or noble.
In historical English, a man who is the head of his household, especially one of lower or middle social rank.
NOUN
C1
ARCHAIC
3
gazda
B2
Usage pattern:
Goodman [surname]
The old tale begins, "Goodman Brown set out from his village at dusk."
A régi történet így kezdődik: „Brown gazda alkonyatkor elindult a falujából.”
When Goodman Smith entered the room, the servants bowed their heads.
Amikor Smith gazda belépett a szobába, a szolgák fejet hajtottak.
The judge called the witness "Goodman Jones" before asking his questions.
In the play, Goodman Turner argues with his neighbors about the boundary wall.
The letter was addressed to "Goodman John Carter, at the mill by the river."
Learner examples
In this story, a man is called Goodman Brown.
Ebben a történetben egy férfit Brown gazdának szólítanak.
People in the village speak to him as Goodman Smith.
A falubeliek Smith gazdának szólítják.
The writer uses the old title Goodman before the man’s name.
Goodman Jones walks through the town in the book.
They write "Goodman Clark" at the top of the letter.
Common mistake:
Learners may read "Goodman Brown" as if it meant "a man named Brown who is good." In older texts, "Goodman" is a fixed title like "Mr.", not a description of his character.
Meaning
old title before a man’s surname
Collocations
Goodman Brown
|Goodman Smith
|Goodman John
|Goodman Jones
Synonyms
Mister (Modern and common; does not carry the specific historical class and household-head meaning of "Goodman.")
Antonyms
Goodwife (Historical female counterpart used as a title for a married woman, often the wife of a goodman.)
Themes
history
|forms of address
|society
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In old English, a word put before a man’s last name to show respect, similar to “Mr.”
A historical form of address used as a title before a man’s surname, roughly equivalent to “Mister,” especially for a householder of lower or middle social rank.
Grammar
Dictionary form
goodman
IPA
GB/ɡˈʊdmən/
US/ɡˈʊdmən/
Syllables & stress
good - man (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (good)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: goodman
- Plural: goodmans
Word family
Expressions
Goodman [surname]
1/ɡˈʊdmən sˈɚnˌeɪm/
fixed phrase
archaic
old respectful title + surname
In old English, a fixed way to say a man’s title and last name, similar to saying "Mr. Smith" today.
Examples
- The villagers watched as Goodman Carter walked down the lane.
- In the story, Goodman Brown meets a strange man in the forest.
- They wrote the letter to "Goodman Harris" at the farm.
the goodman of the house
1/ðə ɡˈʊdmən əv ðə hˈaʊs/
fixed phrase
archaic
male head of this household
In old English, a set phrase meaning the man who is the main head of that home.
Examples
- The servants waited for the goodman of the house to return.
- She asked the goodman of the house for permission to stay the night.