noun pl. henchmen -·men (-mən)

1. Obsolete a male attendant; page or squire
2. a trusted helper or follower
3. ☆ a political underling who seeks mainly to advance his own interests
4. ☆ any of the followers of a criminal gang leader

Etymology: ME henxtman, hencheman < OE hengest, stallion (see Hengist) + -man: orig. sense prob. “horse attendant”