everyman
noun/ˈɛvɹiːˌmæn/
Etymology Perhaps from the Flemish play Elckerlijc (c. 1495) or its English translation Everyman (c. 1520).
1
In fiction, drama, or allegory, the archetypical ordinary individual, frequently the protagonist in a parable of some sort.
- Near-synonyms: man on the street, John Q. Public (see more there)
- In the novels of John Updike, sometimes Rabbit is his own man, and sometimes he is everyman.
1 more example
- Eternal Life is now on my trail / Got my red glitter coffin, man, just need one last nail / While all these ugly gentlemen play out their foolish games / There's a flaming red horizon that screams our names / And as your fantasies are broken in two / Did you really think this bloody road would pave the way for you? / You better turn around and blow your kiss hello to life eternal, angel / Racist everyman, what have you done? / Man, you've made a killer of your unborn son / Crown my fear your king at the point of a gun / All I want to do is love everyone1995, “Eternal Life”, in Grace (Hard Rock), performed by Jeff Buckley, United States:
- Related terms
- every man Jack, every man jack, Anytown