Brideman

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A man who attends the groom and assists in the wedding ceremony, often standing beside him at the altar
2. A male guest chosen to support and accompany the groom throughout a wedding celebration and formal proceedings
3. A man selected to stand with the groom and help with arrangements during a wedding ceremony and reception

Etymology: "Brideman" is an older form of "bridesman," the man who attends a bride at her wedding, much as a bridesmaid does for the bride's female companions. The word is a compound of "bride" and "man," with an "s" inserted between them. That added "s" is a connecting sound, the same kind of linking element found in "bridesmaid," which is the female counterpart the two words were formed alongside. Over time, the "s" was added to the older form, and "bridesman" became the more common spelling. Because the two words were built on the same pattern, the change follows the model of "bridesmaid" rather than introducing anything new to the sense, which stayed the same throughout.