A male musician who plays in a band; a band member.
From 'band' (a group of musicians) plus 'man' (a male person). Common in English since at least the 19th century as musical ensembles became formalized.
While 'bandman' traditionally meant a male musician, modern English is shifting toward gender-neutral 'band member'—but 'bandman' still appears in historical contexts and military band traditions.
Standard compound using 'man' as generic human, common in music contexts from 19th century onward. Reflects period when orchestral/band membership was predominantly male and linguistic defaults mirrored this.
Use 'band member' or 'musician' to be inclusive of all genders; if referring to a male musician specifically, 'bandman' remains accurate.
["band member","musician","bandperson"]
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