What does juryman mean?
A juryman is a member of a jury, the group of people responsible for evaluating evidence and reaching a verdict in a court case. Jury members must be impartial, follow the judge’s directions, deliberate in private, and reach a decision based on the evidence presented. The word was formed by combining “jury,” from a word meaning a group of people sworn to judge a case, with the element “man.” Although it is still recognized in standard English, it explicitly marks the person as male. The gender-neutral term “juror” is therefore preferred in modern legal and general contexts. “Juryman” can still appear in older writing, formal records, and discussions of language history, but using it to refer generally to any jury member may draw attention to its gendered form.
nounA member of a jury who participates in deciding a case in a court of law. The term is increasingly replaced by the gender-neutral word “juror.”
- A person who serves as a member of a jury in a court of law, weighing evidence and participating in the group’s verdict.
"Each juryman listened carefully to the testimony before the verdict was announced."
"The juryman asked whether the witness had seen the incident from that particular angle."
"In her role as a juryman, she had to remain impartial throughout the lengthy trial."
The plural changes “a” to “en”: one juryman, many jurymen.
"The six jurymen retired to deliberate the verdict."
“Juryman” comes from “jury,” a word rooted in the Latin vow to swear, so every juryman takes an oath before hearing a case.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does juryman come from?
“Juryman” was formed in English by combining “jury” with “man,” referring to a man who had been sworn to serve on a jury. “Jury” comes through Anglo-French from Latin jurare, “to swear,” and ultimately from the same root found in “juror” and “juracy.” In modern usage, the compound has largely been replaced by “juror” because it does not specify a person’s gender.
How juryman is actually used
“Juryman” remains a standard dictionary term but has a dated, explicitly gendered form. In contemporary legal and general usage, “juror” is normally preferred because it applies regardless of gender.
Easily confused with juryman
A juryman is the traditional, gender-marked term for a jury member, whereas a juror is the standard gender-neutral term.