Goodmen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Men of integrity and virtue who act morally and honorably in their actions and decisions
2. Individuals characterized by righteousness and ethical behavior, often regarded as reliable and just in their dealings
3. Persons distinguished by commendable qualities such as kindness, honesty, and a strong sense of duty toward others

Etymology: "Goodmen" is the plural of "goodman," which in Middle English was "godeman," a straightforward compound of "good" and "man." Its sense was originally social rather than moral: a goodman was the head of a household, a man of standing who held property, and the term was used as a polite form of address for a respectable householder, much as "goodwife" was used for a married woman. The moral sense of "good men" as upright, principled people grew out of the plural of the compound rather than from the singular. Because the word was usually applied to a respectable, settled man of decent character, "goodmen" came to mean people of sound moral standing. Today the plural mostly appears in older texts and set phrases, where its meaning still carries that sense of decent, dependable people.

Synonyms: gentlemen, heroes, champions, upstanding men, decent men

Antonyms: villains, bad men, wrongdoers, criminals, evil men