[1805–15; peter a safe or cash box, orig. a portmanteau or trunk, as an object to be stolen or rifled(of obscure orig.) + -man]This word is first recorded in the period 1805–15. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Indo-European, alpaca, one-sided, phase, platinum-man is a combining form, used in the formation of compound words indicating a man ofa certain type or with a certain job. Other words that use the affix -man include: fireman, floorman, lineman, marksman, midshipman