A henchman is a loyal follower who carries out orders for a powerful or villainous leader, often doing the dirty work without question. In superhero movies, the main villain usually has henchmen who guard the secret lair, chase the heroes, or carry out evil plans. In Robin Hood stories, the Sheriff of Nottingham relies on henchmen to hunt down Robin and his band of outlaws.

The word has a somewhat old-fashioned and often humorous feel to it. When we call someone a henchman today, we're usually suggesting they blindly follow a leader without thinking for themselves. A school bully might have henchmen who laugh at his mean jokes and back him up when he picks on others, even though they know it's wrong.

Originally, a henchman was simply a trusted attendant or squire to a medieval lord, not necessarily someone doing anything villainous. But over time, the word came to suggest someone who follows orders without moral judgment.