button man

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A contract killer; a professional assassin.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

I was called a "buffoon" in the paper of record, the New York Times, and the Washington Post described me fondly as "Clinton's gunsel," his button man

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “button man” mean?

A contract killer; a professional assassin.

Is “button man” formal or informal?

button man is generally slang.