factotum

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English [edit]

Wikipedia has articles on:

Wikipedia

Etymology [edit]

From New Latin,  (do everything), from Latin fac, present singular imperative of faciō (do, make) + tōtum (everything); attested in English from 1566.

Pronunciation [edit]

  • (UK) IPA: /fækˈtəʊ.təm/
  • (US) IPA: /fækˈtoʊ.təm/
  • (file)

Noun [edit]

factotum (plural factotums)

  1. (dated) A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.
  2. (dated) A general servant.
    • 1847, Herman Melville, Omoo, Chapter 73,
      I had almost forgotten Monee, the grinning old man who prepared our meal. […] He was Po-Po’s factotum—cook, butler, and climber of the bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees; and, added to all else, a mighty favourite with his mistress; with whom he would sit smoking and gossiping by the hour.
  3. A jack of all trades.
  4. An individual employed to do all sorts of duties.

Synonyms [edit]

Translations [edit]

References [edit]


Dutch [edit]

Dutch Wikipedia has an article on:

Wikipedia nl

Pronunciation [edit]

  • IPA: /fɑkˈtoː.tʏm/
  • Hyphenation: fac‧to‧tum

Etymology [edit]

From New Latin,  (do everything), from Latin fac, present singular imperative of faciō (do, make) + tōtum (everything).

EB1911 - Volume 01 - Page 001 - 1.svg This entry lacks etymological information. If you are familiar with the origin of this term, please add it to the page as described here.
Particularly: “derived directly from la, or via en?”

Noun [edit]

factotum m (plural factotums, diminutive factotumpje)

  1. factotum (jack-of-all-trades)

Synonyms [edit]