What does gasman mean?
Gasman denotes a worker associated with the supply and servicing of gas. In older British usage, and occasionally in modern service work, it can mean the employee who reads a gas meter and carries out routine inspections. It can also denote a gas-appliance fitter or gas engineer who installs and repairs pipes, meters, boilers, and other equipment. The word has a practical, trade-specific tone and may sound dated when it refers to the familiar local meter reader. Historical literature and period accounts often use it for the figure who called at homes in connection with street gas and household lighting. In present-day North American English, gas service technician or utility technician is usually more natural. Gasman remains useful because it compresses several gas-industry roles into a compact, recognizably British label while also preserving the social history of neighborhood gas services.
nounA gas-industry worker who reads meters, inspects gas supplies, or installs and services gas pipes, meters, and appliances. Historically, the term often referred specifically to a utility employee who supplied gas and read the meter in customers' homes.
- A tradesperson who installs, checks, or repairs gas pipes, meters, boilers, and appliances.
- A utility employee who reads gas meters and inspects the gas supply, especially at customers' homes.
"The gasman came to check the boiler and make sure the appliance was working safely."
"The gasman arrived with the tools needed to repair the faulty pipe."
"A gasman was dispatched after several customers reported a smell of gas."
The regular plural is gasmen.
"The gasmen checked the meter before repairing the appliance."
Before smart meters, a gasman’s knock could mean a routine reading—or the discovery of a dangerous leak.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gasman come from?
Gasman is an English compound formed from gas and man. Gas entered English in the seventeenth century as a scientific term popularized by Jan Baptista van Helmont and was ultimately derived through Latin from Greek. The compound became especially familiar with municipal gas lighting and household gas services during the nineteenth century, when gas workers read meters and serviced installations.
Related word forms
How gasman is actually used
The term is especially associated with British gas services and can sound old-fashioned when it refers to a household meter reader. In modern North American English, gas service technician or utility technician is generally more natural. Its use may also sound dated or narrowly occupational.
Easily confused with gasman
A gasman is a person, whereas a gas main is a major pipeline that distributes gas to buildings.