penman

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Meaning · English

A forger.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Forgers, counterfeiters (penmen) and other such intellectuals have a certain standing in the underworld and even pickpockets are respected more or less as the masters of a difficult art, but they do not rank with the princes of the big con […]

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 “penman” mean?

A forger.

Is “penman” formal or informal?

penman is generally slang.