What does spacemen mean?
“Spacemen” is the plural of “spaceman” and refers to male astronauts or other men who travel in space. The expression belongs to the vocabulary of spaceflight and may appear in historical accounts, children's books, and descriptions of missions involving an all-male crew. In modern professional contexts, “astronauts” is generally preferred because it applies to people of every gender. Although “spaceman” can still be understood when discussing space travelers, “astronaut” is the standard designation for members of a human spaceflight crew. The word combines “space” with “man,” reflecting an older convention of identifying space travelers primarily by gender, a practice that is now less common in public and professional language.
plural nounThe plural form of spaceman; male people who travel in space, especially astronauts.
- Male astronauts or male people who travel in space.
"The spacemen spent several months aboard the orbital station."
"The spacemen were preparing for their mission."
"Children once dreamed of becoming spacemen when they grew up."
“Spacemen” is the standard plural of “spaceman.” It is now less common than “astronauts,” especially in gender-neutral contexts.
"The first American spacemen traveled to the Moon."
The word “spacemen” preserves an older style of naming people in space by gender, while “astronaut” is now the standard gender-neutral term.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does spacemen come from?
The word developed from “space” and the older term “man,” used for a person. “Space” comes through Old French from Latin spatium, meaning “space, distance, or interval.” The compound “spaceman” became established during the twentieth century as human spaceflight developed, while “astronaut” drew on the Greek roots for “star” and “traveler.” The plural “spacemen” followed the regular English formation in which words ending in “-man” take “-men.”
Related word forms
How spacemen is actually used
“Spacemen” is now less common than the gender-neutral “astronauts” in contemporary usage. It is most often encountered in historical, literary, or explicitly gendered contexts.
Easily confused with spacemen
Astronaut is the general professional title for people who travel in space, while spacemen specifically refers to male space travelers and is the plural of spaceman.