An elected representative who sits in a state or regional legislative body and is responsible for proposing, debating, and voting on laws. The term typically refers to a male legislator who is a member of a state assembly. The word combines 'assembly' with the agent noun suffix '-man,' denoting a person involved in the assembly.
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"The assemblyman spoke at the town hall about budget priorities."
"Despite the controversy, the assemblyman announced a bipartisan reform plan."
"Residents urged the assemblyman to address pothole repairs in their district."
"The press labeled him an outspoken assemblyman who frequently challenged party lines."
assembly comes from Middle English assemblen, from Old French assembler, from Latin alligare meaning to bind together; the noun assembly dates to the 14th century, referring to a gathering. The suffix -man is a Germanic agent noun indicating a person who performs a function. The term assemblyman emerged in American political language in the 19th and 20th centuries to denote a male member of a state or regional assembly. Over time, as gendered terms became less universal, alternatives like assemblymember or legislator gained traction, but assemblyman remains in use in some contexts and regions. The word’s meaning tightened to specify a male legislator serving in a state-level assembly, as opposed to a federal representative or a city council member, while the concept of an “assembly” as a legislative body has remained stable since early modern usage. First known usage of assemblyman appears in 19th-century publications when state-level governance and assembly sessions became more formalized and widely reported in the press.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "assemblyman" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "assemblyman"
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Pronounce as-SEM-bli-man with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: əˈsɛmblɪmən; UK: əˈsɛmblɪmən. Start with a schwa in the first syllable, then a clear 'sem' as in 'SEM' and a light, unstressed 'bli' before the final 'man'. You’ll want a crisp /s/ and a relaxed /l/; keep the final /n/ clear. See audio references in Pronounce or Forvo for closely matched regional voices.
Common errors: treating the second syllable as stressed ('as-SEM-blee-man' is common but misplaces the 'bli' lightness). Another mistake is turning the /l/ into a vowel or adding extra syllables ('assembly-man' with a strong second 'a' before 'man'). Fix: keep /əˈsɛm.blɪ.mən/ with a short, clipped /b/ in 'bli' and a light /l/; avoid vowel vowel insertion between /m/ and /ə/. Practice with slow repetition and listening to native speakers.
In US English, primary stress on the second syllable with clear /sɛm/ and unstressed /lə/ or /blɪ/. UK English mirrors this but with non-rhoticity affecting the 'r' in related words (not applicable here). Australian tends to compact vowels slightly and may reduce /lɪ/ to /lɪ/ with a quicker transition. Overall, rhotics influence is minor here; focus on the schwa in the first syllable and the light 'bli' before final /mən/.
The challenge lies in the sequence of a stressed closed syllable (/ˈsɛm/) followed by a lightly articulated /blɪ/ cluster and a final /mən/. The /bl/ cluster demands precise lip positioning: lips lightly touch to produce /b/ followed by a soft /l/ and a quick transition to the /ɪ/ vowel. The trailing /mən/ requires keeping the nasal /m/ steady without elongation.
Yes, the transition from a stressed s- vowel to the /bl/ cluster can be tricky; ensure you don’t insert extra vowels between /s/ and /ɛm/ and avoid lengthening the /m/ at the end. The consonant cluster /bl/ must stay connected to the preceding /əl/ as a fast, light sequence to avoid adding a syllable. Focus on the rapid glide from /bl/ into /ɪ/ and then /mən/.
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