Weathermen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who forecast and report on atmospheric conditions and weather patterns for the public
2. Professionals who analyze meteorological data to predict weather changes and provide updates
3. Experts in studying and interpreting climate factors to inform people about upcoming weather events

Etymology: This is an inflected form, the plural of "weatherman," so the history lies in its parts: "weather" and "man." "Weather" descends from Old English "weder," which goes back to a Germanic root shared with words for wind and air, while "man" comes from Old English "mann," a word that once meant any human being before narrowing to adult males. "Weatherman" is a plain compound of "weather" and the suffix "-man," the latter used in English since Middle English to denote a person associated with a particular activity or trade. The plural "weathermen" simply follows the irregular pattern of "man" becoming "men," the same vowel change seen in "woman/women" and "foot/feet."

Synonyms: meteorologists, forecasters, weathercasters, weather reporters, climatologists