noun
everyman
EHV-ree-man
noun
1
An ordinary, average person, especially one used to represent people in general in a story or discussion.
"The film's hero is an everyman who stumbles into an extraordinary situation."
How to Use Everyman
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA stand-in for the typical, ordinary person — not a hero or specialist, just an average guy.
When to use it
Common in film and literary criticism.
Word Forms
everymen plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “everyman”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The film's hero is an _____ who stumbles into an extraordinary situation.
Etymology
Possibly traced back to the medieval morality play Everyman (English translation around 1520), whose main character represents all of humanity.