or Drogonman, a term of general use through the east for an interpreter, whose office is to facilitate commerce between the orientals and occidentals. These are kept by the ambassadors of Christian nations residing at the Porte for this purpose.

The word is formed from the Arabic targeman or targimam, of the verb targem, "he has interpreted." From dragoman the Italians formed dragomano and, with a nearer relation to its Arabic etymology, turet-mano; whence the French and our trucheman, as well as dragoman and drogonman.