netherman

English edit

Etymology edit

From nether- +‎ man.

Noun edit

netherman (plural nethermen)

An inhabitant of a lowland region; lowlander.
- 1866, George Hamilton, An appeal for the horse:
  […] and it is as difficult to persuade such persons that there is dawning on us a better system, as it is to convince an ancient highlander that there is a garment for the netherman which possesses advantages over the national kilt.
An inferior man or inferior status of mankind, as opposed to superman.
- 1915, Alfred Richard Orage, Arthur Moore, The New age: a weekly review of politics, literature and art:
  Perhaps the Socialism Nietzsche had in mind would have degraded the race, as surely as Christianity was already threatening to change man into Netherman.
- 1986, Ray Bremser, Poems of madness:
  Too much the redest bloody Cadillacs caught cryptic on the air, luring another netherman with California Rugelo and too much the rigid enterprising caterwauling!
- 2001, Sarah Pierzchala, Rain On A Dark Mirror:
  “I've told you,” a man's voice was insisting, “You've been given it all— every strip.” The portable lamps, clipped to the overhead beams, revealed three figures. The two shabby nethermen moved like clumsy predators; […]
- 2011, Bradford Morrow, Trinity Fields:
  […] the Roman Empire, the Goths, Genghis Khan, epics of discord, governments lusting to rule the world, nethermen long gone to their graves— […]
An underling; subordinate.
- 1975, Ralph Bernard Pugh, Elizabeth Crittall, D. A. Crowley, A History of Wiltshire:
  […] while customary rents of tenants called 'nethermen' and 'overmen' were worth respectively […]