hetman
nounEtymology From Polish hetman, probably from Middle High German houbetman, heuptman (“commander”), from Old High German houbitman, from Proto-West Germanic *haubidamann. Compare modern German Hauptmann (“captain”), Haupt, Mann. The Polish e in hetman attests to a borrowing from an East Central German dialect, in which Middle High German -öu- gives -ē-. Doublet of head man.
1
History, Human sciences, Sciences A Cossack headman or general.
2
Title used by the second-highest military commander in Poland and Lithuania (15th to 18th century).
- Derived terms
- hetmanate, hetmanship