Definition
A man who gathers, sells, or works with herbs; a herbalist or herbal practitioner.
Etymology
From 'herb' plus 'man,' a compound formation. A simple descriptive term for someone whose profession or skill involves herbs.
Kelly Says
Herbmen in Renaissance cities were fascinating characters—part apothecary, part charlatan, part healer—selling everything from genuine cures to useless talismans, unreliably blending real medicine with superstition.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
ቅጽረት ቤት
kʷəsʾrət bet
ARالعربية
بائع الأعشاب
bāʿ al-ʾaʿshāb
BNবাংলা
গাছপালা বিক্রেতা
gaach-paala bikreta
CACatalà
herbolari
ehr-boh-LAH-ree
CSČeština
bylinkář
BYE-lee-nyahr
DADansk
urtemand
oor-teh-mahn
DEDeutsch
Kräuterhändler
KRAY-ter-hend-ler
ELΕλληνικά
βοτανολόγος
voh-tah-noh-LOH-gohs
ESEspañol
herbolario
ehr-boh-LAH-ree-oh
FISuomi
yrttikauppias
yehr-ttee-kah-oo-pee-ahs
FRFrançais
herboriste
ehr-boh-REEST
GUGU
વનસ્પતિ વેચનાર
vanaspati vech-naar
HAHA
mai sayar magani
mah-ee sah-yar mah-gah-nee
HIहिन्दी
जड़ी-बूटी विक्रेता
jadī-būtī vikretā
HUMagyar
fűszeres
FOO-ze-reh-sh
IDBahasa Indonesia
penjual jamu
peh-nyool jah-moo
IGIG
onye na-ere ahịhịa
oh-nyeh nah-eh-reh ah-hee-hyah
ITItaliano
erborista
ehr-boh-REE-stah
KMKM
អ្នកលក់គ្រឿង
nek lak krohng
MRMR
वनस्पती विक्रेता
vanaspati vikreta
MSBahasa Melayu
penjual herba
peh-nyool hehr-bah
MYမြန်မာ
ဆေးရွက်ဆိမ်း
sʰeʔ jwɛʔ sʰiḿ
NLNederlands
kruidenman
KROO-den-mahn
NONorsk
urtemann
oor-teh-mahn
PAPA
ਜੜ੍ਹੀ-ਬੂਟੀ ਵਿਕਰੇਤਾ
jadī-būtī vikretā
PLPolski
ziołowy
ZYOH-voh-wee
PTPortuguês
herbalista
ehr-boh-LAH-ee-stah
RORomână
plante medicinale
PLAHN-teh meh-dee-SEE-nah-leh
RUРусский
травник
trahv-NEEK
SVSvenska
örtspecialist
öhr-tseh-pee-see-ah-leest
SWKiswahili
mfua dawa
m-foo-ah dah-wah
TAதமிழ்
பூண்டு விற்பனையாளர்
poondu vīrpaṇaiyāḷar
TEతెలుగు
మొక్కల విక్రేత
mokkalaa vikreta
THไทย
คนขายสมุนไพร
khon khaay samun-phrai
TLTL
manghaherba
mang-hah-ehr-bah
TRTürkçe
bitki uzmanı
bee-tkee oo-zmah-nee
UKУкраїнська
травник
trahv-NEEK
URاردو
جڑی بوٹی والا
jaree booti waalaa
VITiếng Việt
người bán thảo mộc
người bahn thah mohk
YOYO
olùṣọ́ àti èdè
oh-loo-shoh ah-tee eh-DEH
ZUZU
umfua wesifazane
oo-m-foo-ah seh-FAH-zah-neh
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Occupational terms with '-man' default male visibility while female practitioners were erased or labeled separately (herbwoman). This naming asymmetry reinforces the assumption that herbalism was male-centered when women were historically primary cultivators of medicinal plants.
Inclusive Usage
Use 'herbalist' or 'herbal practitioner' instead of gendered compounds. Both terms neutrally denote expertise regardless of gender.
Inclusive Alternatives
["herbalist","herbal practitioner","herbcultivist"]
Empowerment Note
Women—particularly healers, midwives, and indigenous practitioners—held the primary knowledge of medicinal herbs for centuries; male herbalists and physicians later claimed this authority through institutional credentialing.