Blockman

/ˈblɒkmən/ noun

Definition

A man who works with blocks, either making them or moving them in construction, or a player of block-based video games.

Etymology

Compound of 'block' and 'man,' following the pattern of occupational surnames that became common in English from the 13th century onward.

Kelly Says

In Victorian England, blockmen were essential workers in quarries and construction sites; today the word is playfully used for fans of Minecraft!

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

The -man suffix in occupational terms like 'blockman' defaults to male and historically excluded women from these roles or rendered their participation invisible.

Inclusive Usage

Use 'block worker' or 'block layer' instead to include all genders.

Inclusive Alternatives

["block worker","block layer","block artisan"]

Empowerment Note

Women have worked in stonemasonry and block-laying trades historically but were often unpaid family labor or faced explicit exclusion; modern terminology should reflect their contemporary and historical contributions.

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