Well, this is really interesting, though eight letters again, tsuwm.

I tried tracking down henchman to see whether it would lead to a nine-letter word, but became in the etymology of henchman.

For one thing it came from the Middle English hengestman for groom as in the one who grooms horses. Learned hengest is the Old English stallion--so a henchman is a stallion man, ergo, groom in the Middle English sense.

I'd always before just thought of the Mob when hearing henchman...but now can think of the smell of horses.

On to find another 9-letter word, but thanks, tswum, for a lovely excursion,
ww