Etymology dictionary
maleness (n.) — -mancy
maleness (n.)
1660s, "masculinity," from male (adj.) + -ness. By 1890 as "state or quality of being of the male sex."
male (n.)
late 14c., "male human being; male fish or land animal; one of the sex that begets young," from Old French masle (adj.) "masculine, male, adult," also used as a noun (12c., Modern French mâle), from Latin masculus "masculine, male, worthy of a man" (source also of Provençal mascle, Spanish macho, Italian maschio), diminutive of mas (genitive maris) "male person or animal, male."
male chauvinist (adj.)
by 1936; popular from 1969 (with added pig (n.) by 1970); a specialized use of chauvinism, which in late 19c. international Communist Party jargon was extended to racism and in the next generation to sexism:
Related: Male-chauvinism (1969).
malediction (n.)
mid-15c., malediccion, "a curse; condemnation, excommunication," from Old French maledicion "a curse" (15c.) and directly from Latin maledictionem (nominative maledictio) "the action of speaking evil of, slander," in Late Latin "a curse," noun of action from past participle stem of maledicere "to speak badly or evil of, slander," from male "badly" (see mal-) + dicere "to say" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly"). By 1530s as "evil-speaking, cursing, reviling."
maledictory (adj.)
"pertaining to or containing a curse," 1660s, from Latin maledictus, from maledicere "to speak badly or evil of, slander" (from male "badly;" see mal- + dicere "to say," from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly") + -ory.
maleducation (n.)
also mal-education, "imperfect or misdirected education," 1840, from mal- + education.
malefic (adj.)
"doing mischief, producing disaster or evil," 1650s, from Latin maleficus "wicked, vicious, criminal," from male "ill" (see mal-) + -ficus "making, doing," from combining form of facere "to make, do" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Related: Malefical (1610s).
malefaction (n.)
early 15c., malefaccioun, "heinous wrong-doing, a crime," from Medieval Latin malefactionem (nominative malefactio), noun of action from past-participle stem of malefacere "to do wrong, harm" (see malefactor).
malefactor (n.)
mid-15c., malefactour, "a law-breaker, a criminal, a felon," from Latin malefactor, agent noun from past participle stem of malefacere "to do evil," from male "badly" (see mal-) + facere "to do, make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). From late 15c. in the now-obsolete sense of "one who does evil or injury to another" (the opposite of benefactor).
maleficent (adj.)
"doing or producing harm, acting with evil intent or effect," 1670s, from Latin maleficent-, altered stem of maleficus "wicked, vicious, criminal," from male "ill" (see mal-) + -ficus "making, doing," from combining form of facere "to make, do" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").
maleficence (n.)
1590s, "act of doing or producing evil," from French maleficence or directly from Latin maleficentia "an evildoing, mischievousness, injury," from maleficus "wicked" (see malefic). Sense of "malefic character" is by 1796.
malevolence (n.)
"the character of being ill-disposed toward another or others; ill-will, malice, personal hatred," mid-15c., from Old French malevolence and directly from Latin malevolentia "ill-will, dislike, hatred," from malevolentem (nominative malevolens) "ill-disposed, wishing ill, spiteful, envious," from male "badly" (see mal-) + volentem (nominative volens), present participle of velle "to wish" (see will (v.))
malevolent (adj.)
"having an evil disposition toward another or others, wishing evil to others," c. 1500, from Old French malivolent and directly from Latin malevolentem (nominative malevolens) "ill-disposed, spiteful, envious," from male "badly" (see mal-) + volentem (nominative volens), present participle of velle "to wish" (see will (v.)). Related: Malevolently.
malfeasance (n.)
"wrongful conduct, the doing of that which ought not to be done," especially "official misconduct, violation of a public trust or obligation," 1690s, from French malfaisance "wrongdoing," from malfaisant, from mal- "badly" (see mal-) + faisant, present participle of faire "to do," from Latin facere "to do" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").
Malfeasor "wrong-doer" is attested from early 14c. Related: Malfeasant.
malformation (n.)
also mal-formation, "faulty formation, irregular or anomalous structure," 1731, from mal- + formation.
malformed (adj.)
"ill-formed, having defects of formation," 1801, from mal- + formed, past participle of form (v.).
malfunction (n.)
"a faulty functioning, a failure to function as expected," 1827, from mal- "bad, badly, wrong" + function. As a verb, "to fail to function normally or as expected," by 1888. Related: Malfunctioned; malfunctioning.
Mali
modern African nation, known by that name from 1959, formerly French Sudan. The name is that of a former African kingdom (13c.-14c.), perhaps from Malinke, name of an indigenous people of the region. Related: Malian.
Malibu
beach city northwest of Los Angeles, said to be from a native language, Chumash, and the name of one of their settlements nearby, Humaliwo, which is said to mean "where the surf sounds loudly." Modern development there dates from 1926.
malice (n.)
c. 1300, "desire to hurt another, propensity to inflict injury or suffering, active ill-will," from Old French malice "ill will, spite, sinfulness, wickedness" (12c.), from Latin malitia "badness, ill will, spite," from malus "bad, unpleasant" (see mal-). In legal use, "a design or intention of doing mischief to another without justification or excuse" (1540s).
malic (adj.)
"pertaining to apples, obtained from the juice of apples," 1790 (in malic acid, in a translation of Fourcroy), from French malique, from Latin mālum "apple" from Greek mēlon (Doric malon) "apple," which is probably from the Pre-Greek substrate language. The Latin and Greek words also meant "fruit" generally, especially if exotic. The acid, discovered 1785 by Swedish/German chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, was obtained from unripe apples and other fruits.
malicious (adj.)
mid-13c., "harboring ill-will, enmity, or hostility," from Old French malicios "showing ill will, spiteful, wicked" (Modern French malicieux), from Latin malitiosus "wicked, malicious," from malitia "badness, ill will, spite," from malus "bad, unpleasant" (see mal-). In legal use (early 14c., Anglo-French), it means "characterized by malice prepense" (see malice).
maliciously (adv.)
"in a spiteful manner, with enmity or ill-will," late 14c., from malicious + -ly (2).
maliciousness (n.)
"extreme enmity or disposition to injure; actions prompted by hatred," mid-15c., from malicious + -ness.
malignity (n.)
late 14c., malignite, "extreme enmity or evil disposition toward another, deep-rooted spite," from Old French maligneté, from Latin malignitas "ill-will, spite," from malignus "mean, unkind," from male "badly" (see mal-) + -gnus "born," from gignere "to bear, beget," from PIE root *gene- "give birth, beget." Meaning "quality of being extremely evil" is from 1530s.
malign (v.)
"to slander, speak evil of, defame," mid-15c., malignen (originally with against), from Old French malignier "to plot, deceive, pervert" and directly from Late Latin malignare "to do maliciously," from malignus "wicked, bad-natured, mean, unkind" (see malign (adj.)). Related: Maligned; maligning.
maligner (n.)
early 15c., malignour, "one who traduces or defames another," from Old French malignor, agent noun from malignier (see malign (v.)).
malign (adj.)
early 14c., of things or behaviors, "wicked, sinful;" mid-15c., of persons, "having an evil disposition toward others, harboring violent hatred," from Old French maligne "having an evil nature," from Latin malignus "wicked, bad-natured," from male "badly" (see mal-) + -gnus "born," from gignere "to bear, beget," from PIE root *gene- "give birth, beget."
malignant (adj.)
1560s, in reference to diseases, "virulent, tending to produce death," from French malignant and directly from Late Latin malignantem (nominative malignans) "acting from malice," present participle of malignare "injure maliciously," from Latin malignus "wicked, bad-natured," from male "badly" (see mal-) + -gnus "born," from gignere "to bear, beget" (from PIE root *gene- "give birth, beget").
Earlier in the church malignant "followers of the antichrist," from Latin ecclesiam malignantum in early Church writing, applied by Protestant writers to the Church in Rome (1540s). Of persons, "disposed to inflict suffering or cause distress," from 1590s. As an adjective, Middle English used simple malign (early 14c.), also malignous "poisonous, noxious." Related: Malignantly.
malignancy (n.)
c. 1600, "malignant nature;" 1650s, "state of extreme malevolence, bitter enmity," from malignant + abstract noun suffix -cy. Of diseases, growths, tumors, etc., "virulence, tendency to get worse," from 1680s. In English history, "adherence to the royal party in the time of Cromwell," 1640s, from malignants, a term applied to the royalists by their enemies.
malinger (v.)
"to pretend illness to escape duty," 1820, from French malingrer "to suffer," a slang word that probably also at one time meant "pretend to be ill," from malingre "ailing, sickly" (13c.), which is of uncertain origin, possibly a blend of mingre "sickly, miserable" and malade "ill." Mingre is itself a blend of maigre "meager" (see meager) + haingre "sick, haggard," which is possibly from Germanic (compare Middle High German hager "thin").
The sense evolution in French would be through the notion of beggars who feigned to be sick or exhibited sham sores to excite compassion. Malingerer is attested from 1761, in a translation of de Saxe; malingering as a verbal noun is attested from 1778. Related: Malingered.
malison (n.)
"a curse," mid-13c., from Old French maleiçon "curse," from Latin maledictionem "the action of speaking evil of, slander," in Late Latin "a curse," noun of action from past participle stem of maledicere "to speak badly or evil of, slander," from male "badly" (see mal-) + dicere "to say" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly").
malkin (n.)
also mawkin, late 13c., a jocular or contemptuous term for a servant-woman or kitchen-servant, a woman of the lower classes, or a slattern, a loose woman; from the fem. proper name Malkyn, a diminutive of Mault "Maud" (see Matilda). It also is attested from c. 1200 as the proper name of a female specter. Sense of "untidy woman" probably led to the extended meaning "mop, bundle of rags on a stick" (used to clean ovens, artillery pieces, etc.), c. 1400.
Attested as the name of a cat since 1670s (earlier as Grimalkin, late 16c.); compare Serbo-Croatian mačka "cat," originally a pet-name form of Maria. Also used in Scotland and northern England as the name of a hare (1724).
mall (n.)
1737, "shaded walk serving as a promenade," generalized from The Mall, name of a broad, tree-lined promenade in St. James's Park, London (so called from 1670s, earlier Maill, 1640s), which was so called because it formerly was an open alley that was used to play pall-mall.
This was a once-popular game played with a wooden ball in a kind of smooth alley boarded in at each side, in which the ball was struck with a mallet to send it through an iron arch placed at the end of the alley. The game's name is from French pallemaille, from Italian pallamaglio, from palla "ball" (see balloon (n.)) + maglio "mallet" (from Latin malleus "a hammer, mallet," from PIE root *mele- "to crush, grind"). Modern sense of "enclosed shopping gallery" is from 1962 (from 1951 in reference to city streets set aside for pedestrians only). Mall rat "one who frequents a mall" is from 1985 (see rat (n.)).
mallard (n.)
c. 1300, "wild drake or duck," from Old French malart (12c.) or Medieval Latin mallardus, apparently from male, from Latin masculus (see male), in which case the original sense probably was not of a specific species but of any male wild duck, though the specific sense of "male of the wild duck" is not attested in English until early 14c.
malleability (n.)
"capability of being shaped or stretched by pressure," especially by beating or rolling, 1680s, from malleable + -ity.
malleable (adj.)
late 14c., "capable of being shaped or extended by hammering or rolling," from Old French malleable and directly from Medieval Latin malleabilis, from malleare "to beat with a hammer," from Latin malleus "hammer" (from PIE root *mele- "to crush, grind"). Figurative sense, of persons, "capable of being adapted by outside influence" is recorded from 1610s.
malleolus (n.)
bone knob on either side of the human ankle, 1690s, from Latin malleolus, diminutive of malleus "a hammer" (from PIE root *mele- "to crush, grind"). Anatomical use is said to date to Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564). Related: Malleolar.
mallet (n.)
"small wooden hammer," chiefly used for driving another tool, late 14c., from Old French maillet "mallet, small wooden hammer, door-knocker," diminutive of mail, from Latin malleus "a hammer, mallet," from Proto-Italic *molalo-, *molklo- "hammer," from PIE *molkh-tlo- "crushing instrument," source also of Russian molot, Czech mlat "hammer," from PIE root *mele- "to crush, grind." It is wielded with one hand, while the heavier mall or maul requires both.
malleus (n.)
outermost of the three bones inside the human ear, 1660s, from Latin malleus "a hammer" (from PIE root *mele- "to crush, grind"). So called for its shape.
mallow (n.)
late 14c., spelling alteration of late Old English malwe and directly from Latin malva "mallows" (source also of Modern French mauve, Spanish and Italian malva), a word from a Mediterranean substrate language. The same lost word apparently yielded Greek malakhe "mallow."
malmsey (n.)
type of strong, sweet white wine, c. 1400, from Provençal malmesie or Middle Dutch malemesye, both from Medieval Latin malmasia, from Medieval Greek Monembasia "Monemvasia," a town in the southern Peloponnesus that was an important center of wine production in the Middle Ages. The town is joined to the mainland by a causeway, and its name is literally "(town of the) one entrance," from monos "alone, only" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + embasis "entering into," from en- "in" + basis "a going, a stepping, a base" (see basis).
The wine later was made in the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands, but the name remained. Another form of it in Middle English was malvesy, from Old French malvesie, from Italian malvasia, the Italian form of the Greek town name.
malnourished (adj.)
"suffering from insufficient nutrition," 1906, from mal- "bad, badly" + nourished (see nourish).
malnourishment (n.)
"malnutrition," 1899, see mal- + nourishment.
malnutrition (n.)
"defect of sustenance from imperfect assimilation of food," 1843, from mal- + nutrition.
malocclusion (n.)
"faulty occlusion" (of teeth), 1864, from mal- + occlusion.
malodorous (adj.)
"having a bad or offensive odor," 1832, from mal- "bad" + odorous. Related: Malodorously; malodorousness.
malpractice (n.)
1670s, "bad treatment of disease, pregnancy, or bodily injury from ignorance, carelessness, or with criminal intent," a hybrid coined from mal- + practice (n.). Also used for "illegal action by which a person seeks a benefit for himself while in a position of trust" (1758).
malt (v.)
mid-15c., malten, "to convert grain to malt," from malt (n.). Meaning "to make with malt" is from c. 1600. Related: Malted; malting. Malted (n.) "a drink with malted milk" is by 1945.
malt (n.)
"grain (usually barley) in which, by heat, the starch is converted to sugar," Old English malt (Anglian), mealt (West Saxon), from Proto-Germanic *maltam (source also of Old Norse malt, Old Saxon malt, Middle Dutch, Dutch mout, Old High German malz, German Malz "malt"), possibly from PIE root *mel- (1) "soft" via the notion of "softening" the grain by steeping it in water before brewing.
Finnish mallas, Old Church Slavonic mlato are considered to be borrowed from Germanic. Meaning "liquor produced by malt" is from 1718. As an adjective, "pertaining to, containing, or made with malt," 1707; malt liquor (which is fermented, not brewed) is attested from 1690s.
Malta
Mediterranean island, from Latin Melite, perhaps from Phoenician melita, literally "place of refuge," from malat "he escaped." It formerly belonged to the Knights Hospitaller (Knights of Malta) from 1530-1798.
Maltese
1610s, "native or inhabitant of Malta;" 1797 (adj.) "of or pertaining to Malta, from Malta + -ese. Maltese cross is from 1754 (earlier Malta cross, 1650s), so called because it was worn by the Knights of Malta. Maltese cat is attested from 1830: any cat with fur completely or primarily gray or blue, supposedly a common trait among cats on the island, but the breeds that noted for this coloring are not associated with Malta. As a type of very small dog, known since ancient times in the Mediterranean, it is attested in English by 1803.
malthouse (n.)
"building in which malt is made," late Old English mealthus; see malt (n.) + house (n.).
Malthusian (n.)
1812 (n.) "a follower of English economist Thomas R. Malthus (1766-1835)," especially with regard to the doctrines set forth in his "Essay on the Principle of Population" (published anonymously in 1798).
As an adjective, "of or pertaining to Malthus," by 1818. Related: Malthusianism "theory of the relation of population to the means of subsistence" (1825). The surname is attested from late 13c., and probably means "worker at a malt-house."
malty (adj.)
"composed of or produced by malt," 1817, from malt (n.) + -y (2). Also, in old slang, "drunk with beer, or drunkish any how, stupidly so" [John Bee, "Slang," 1823].
maltreat (v.)
"to treat ill, abuse," 1708, from French maltraiter, or formed in English from mal- + treat (v.). Related: Maltreated; maltreating.
maltreatment (n.)
"rough, rude, or unkind treatment, abuse," 1721, from French maltraitement or formed in English from mal- + treatment.
maltster (n.)
"maker of or dealer in malt," early 14c. (late 13c. as a surname), from malt + -ster.
malvaceous (adj.)
"of or pertaining to the mallow," 1690s, from Late Latin malvaceus, from Latin malva (see mallow).
malversation (n.)
"evil conduct, fraudulent dealing," especially "professional or official corruption," 1540s, from French malversation, from malverser, from Latin male versari, from male "wrongly, ill" (see mal-) + versari "to behave, conduct oneself" (etymologically "to frequent; to 'move about' a place"), passive frequentative of vertere "to turn" (from PIE root *wer- (2) "to turn, bend").
Malvinas
Argentine name for the Falkland Islands, from French Malouins, name for inhabitants of the French city of St. Malo, who attempted a colony there in 1764 under Louis-Antoine de Bougainville.
malware (n.)
"software intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems," 1997, from mal- + -ware, from software, etc.
mama
1707, spelling variant of mamma. Meaning "sexually attractive woman" is attested by 1925 in African-American vernacular. Mamasan "woman in a position of authority," especially "woman in charge of a geisha-house" is by 1949, with Japanese san, an honorific title. Mama mia! as an exclamation of surprise, etc. is by 1848, from Italian, literally "mother mine!"
mamba (n.)
name of a large venomous snake of sub-Saharan Africa, attested by 1859, from Zulu (i)mamba or Swahili mamba.
mambo (n.)
popular dance (like the rhumba but livelier), 1947, from American Spanish mambo, said by Webster to be from Haitian creole word for "voodoo priestess."
Mameluke
Egyptian dynasty 1254-1517, originally a military unit comprised of Caucasian slaves, from French mameluk and directly from Arabic mamluk "purchased slave," literally "possessed," from past participle of malaka "he possessed" (compare Arabic malik, Hebrew melekh "king"). It is also the source of Portuguese Mameluco (n.) "mestizo, cross-breed between a white and a native Brazilian."
mamma (n.)
"mother," a word used especially by children and infants, 1570s, representing the native form of the reduplication of *ma- that is nearly universal among the Indo-European languages (Greek mamme "mother, grandmother," Latin mamma, Persian mama, Russian and Lithuanian mama "mother," German Muhme "mother's sister," French maman, Welsh mam "mother").
Probably a natural sound in baby-talk, perhaps imitative of sound made while sucking. Its late appearance in English is curious, but Middle English had mome (mid-13c.) "an aunt; an old woman," also an affectionate term of address for an older woman.
In educated usage, the stress is always on the last syllable. In terms of the recorded appearance of the variant or related words in English, mama is from 1707, mum is from 1823, mummy in this sense from 1839, mommy 1844, momma 1810, and mom 1867. Mamma's boy "soft, effeminate male" is by 1901.
mammal (n.)
"an animal of the class Mammalia; an animal that suckles its young," 1826, Englished form of Modern Latin Mammalia (1773), coined 1758 by Linnaeus for that class of animals from neuter plural of Late Latin mammalis "of the breast," from Latin mamma "breast," which is cognate with mamma. With the exception of a few egg-laying species, all bear live young and have the mammary gland for the young to suck. All also are warm-blooded and breathe air. In Middle English, mammille was "a woman's breast" (early 15c.).
Mammalia (n.)
"the class of Vertebrata containing all those animals which suckle their young and no other animals," 1773, from Modern Latin (Linnaeus, 1758), from neuter plural of Late Latin mammalis "of the breast," from mamma "breast," from PIE *mama and cognate with mamma. Also see -a (2)).
mammalian (adj.)
"of or pertaining to the mammals," 1813, from mammal + -ian. As a noun, "an animal of the class Mammalia," from 1835.
mammary (adj.)
"of or pertaining to a breast," 1680s, from French mammaire (18c.) or Medieval Latin mammarius, from Latin mamma "breast" (see mamma).
mammy (n.)
child's word for "mother," 1520s, diminutive of mam (see mamma). Meaning "black woman having the care of white children" (who often continued to call her mammy after they were grown) is by 1837, Southern U.S. dialect, a variant of mamma.
mammo-
word-forming element meaning "breast," from Latin mamma "breast" (which is cognate with mamma). The form mammato-, used in cloud terminology in reference to smooth, rounded shapes, is from Latin mammatus.
mammogram (n.)
"X-ray image of the breast," by 1937, from mammo- "breast" + -gram.
mammography (n.)
"examination of the breast by means of X-rays," by 1937, from mammo- "breast" + -graphy.
Mammon (n.)
personification of riches and worldliness, mid-14c., from Late Latin mammona, from Ecclesiastical Greek mamōnas, from Aramaic mamona, mamon "riches, gain;" a word left untranslated in Greek New Testament (Matthew vi.24, Luke xvi.9-13), retained in the Vulgate, and regarded mistakenly by medieval Christians as the name of a demon who leads men to covetousness.
mammoth (n.)
"large, extinct species of shaggy elephant living in northern latitudes," 1706, from Russian mammot', probably from Ostyak, a Finno-Ugric language of northern Russia (compare Finnish maa "earth"). Because the remains were dug from the earth, the animal was believed to root like a mole.
As an adjective, "gigantic," it is attested from 1802; in this sense "the word appears to be originally American" [Thornton, "American Glossary"], and its first uses are in derogatory accounts of the cheese wheel, more than 4 feet in diameter, sent to President Jefferson by the ladies of the Baptist congregation in Cheshire, Massachusetts, as a present, engraved with the motto "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." Federalist editors mocked the affair, and called up the word mammoth (known from Peale's exhibition) to characterize it.
mamzer (n.)
"bastard," 1560s, from Late Latin mamzer, from Hebrew mamzer, left untranslated in Deuteronomy xxiii.2 in the Vulgate. Modern uses (from mid-20c.) probably are from Yiddish.
*man- (2)
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "hand."
It forms all or part of: amanuensis; command; commando; commend; countermand; demand; Edmund; emancipate; legerdemain; maintain; manacle; manage; manciple; mandamus; mandate; manege; maneuver; manicure; manifest; manipulation; manner; manque; mansuetude; manual; manubrium; manufacture; manumission; manumit; manure; manuscript; mastiff; Maundy Thursday; mortmain; Raymond; recommend; remand; Sigismund.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Hittite maniiahh- "to distribute, entrust;" Greek mane "hand," Latin manus "hand, strength, power over; armed force; handwriting," mandare "to order, commit to one's charge," literally "to give into one's hand;" Old Norse mund "hand," Old English mund "hand, protection, guardian," German Vormund "guardian;" Old Irish muin "protection, patronage."
*man- (1)
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "man."
It forms all or part of: alderman; Alemanni; fugleman; Herman; hetman; landsman; leman; man; manikin; mannequin; mannish; mensch; Norman; ombudsman; yeoman.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit manuh, Avestan manu-, Old Church Slavonic mozi, Russian muzh "man, male;" Old English man, mann "human being, person; brave man, hero; servant, vassal."
man (n.)
"a featherless plantigrade biped mammal of the genus Homo" [Century Dictionary], Old English man, mann "human being, person (male or female); brave man, hero;" also "servant, vassal, adult male considered as under the control of another person," from Proto-Germanic *mann- (source also of Old Saxon, Swedish, Dutch, Old High German man, Old Frisian mon, German Mann, Old Norse maðr, Danish mand, Gothic manna "man"), from PIE root *man- (1) "man." For the plural, see men.
Sometimes connected to root *men- (1) "to think," which would make the ground sense of man "one who has intelligence," but not all linguists accept this. Liberman, for instance, writes, "Most probably man 'human being' is a secularized divine name" from Mannus [Tacitus, "Germania," chap. 2], "believed to be the progenitor of the human race."
Specific sense of "adult male of the human race" (distinguished from a woman or boy) is by late Old English (c. 1000); Old English used wer and wif to distinguish the sexes, but wer began to disappear late 13c. and was replaced by man. Universal sense of the word remains in mankind and manslaughter. Similarly, Latin had homo "human being" and vir "adult male human being," but they merged in Vulgar Latin, with homo extended to both senses. A like evolution took place in Slavic languages, and in some of them the word has narrowed to mean "husband." PIE had two other "man" roots: *uiHro "freeman" (source of Sanskrit vira-, Lithuanian vyras, Latin vir, Old Irish fer, Gothic wair; see *wi-ro-) and *hner "man," a title more of honor than *uiHro (source of Sanskrit nar-, Armenian ayr, Welsh ner, Greek anēr; see *ner- (2)).
Man also was in Old English as an indefinite pronoun, "one, people, they." It was used generically for "the human race, mankind" by c. 1200. As a word of familiar address, originally often implying impatience, c.1400; hence probably its use as an interjection of surprise or emphasis, since Middle English but especially popular from early 20c.
As "a woman's lover," by mid-14c. As "adult male possessing manly qualities in an eminent degree," from 14c. Man's man, one whose qualities are appreciated by other men, is by 1873. Colloquial use of the Man for "the boss" is by 1918. To be man or mouse "be brave or be timid" is from 1540s. Meaning "piece with which a game (especially chess) is played" is from c. 1400.
Man-about-town "man of the leisure class who frequents clubs, theaters, and other social resorts" is from 1734. Man of the world is from mid-14c. as "secular man, layman;" by early 15c. as "man experienced in the ways of the world, one able to take things in stride." To do something as one man "unanimously" is from late 14c.
man (v.)
Middle English mannen, from Old English mannian "to furnish (a fort, ship, etc.) with a company of men," from man (n.). The meaning "take up a designated position on a ship" is attested by 1690s.
The sense of "behave like a man, brace up in a manful way, act with courage" is from c. 1400. To man (something) out "play a man's part, bear oneself stoutly and boldly" is from 1660s. To man up is by 1925 as "supply with a man or men;" by 2006 in the intransitive colloquial sense of "be manly." Related: Manned; manning.
manful (adj.)
"having or expressing the spirit of a man; characterized by the higher qualities of manhood," late 14c., "courageous, brave, resolute," also (early 15c.) "magnanimous, noble," from man (n.) + -ful.
mana (n.)
"power, authority, supernatural power," 1843, from Maori, "power, authority, supernatural power."
manacle (n.)
mid-14c., manicle, "an iron fetter for the hand" (usually in plural), from Old French manicle "manacles, handcuffs; bracelet; armor for the hands," from Latin manicula "handle," literally "little hand," diminutive of manicae "long sleeves of a tunic, gloves; armlets, gauntlets; handcuffs, manacles," from manus "hand" (from PIE root *man- (2) "hand"). Related: Manacles.
manacle (v.)
"to fetter with manacles, confine the hands of with handcuffs," c. 1300, manaclen, from manacle (n.). Figuratively, "restrain the will or action of," by 1570s. Related: Manacled; manacling.
manage (v.)
1560s, "to handle, train, or direct" (a horse), from the now-obsolete noun manage "the handling or training of a horse; horsemanship" (see manege, which is a modern revival of it), from Old French manège "horsemanship," from Italian maneggio, from maneggiare "to handle, touch," especially "to control a horse," which ultimately from Latin noun manus "hand" (from PIE root *man- (2) "hand").
Extended sense of "control or direct by administrative ability" any sort of business is by 1570s; meaning "to wield (a tool or object) by hand" is from 1580s. Meaning "effect by effort" (hence "succeed in accomplishing") is by 1732. Intransitive sense of "get by, carry on affairs" is suggested by 1650s, in frequent use from mid-19c. Related: Managed; managing. Managed economy was used by 1933.
manager (n.)
1580s, "one who directs or controls," agent noun from manage. Specific sense of "one charged with conducting a house of business or public institution" is from 1705.
management (n.)
1590s, "act of managing by direction or manipulation," from manage + -ment. Sense of "act of managing by physical manipulation" is from 1670s. Meaning "governing body, directors of an undertaking collectively" (originally of a theater) is from 1739.
manageable (adj.)
1590s, "capable of being handled or manipulated;" c. 1600, "capability of being governed or controlled," from manage + -able. Related: Manageably.
manageability (n.)
"quality of being manageable," 1813, from manageable + -ity.
managery (n.)
"domestic administration, the act of managing (a farm or crop)," a word now obsolete, 1630s, from manager + -y (4); or perhaps from manage + -ery.
managerial (adj.)
"of or pertaining to managers or management; characteristic of a manager," 1767, see manager + -ial.
manana
from Spanish mañana, "tomorrow," from cras manñana, literally "tomorrow early," from Vulgar Latin *maneana "early," from Latin mane "in the morning," from PIE *ma- "good," with notion of "occurring at a good time, timely, early" (compare matins; and see mature (v.)). "Often taken as a synonym of easy-going procrastination said to be found in Spanish-speaking countries" [OED].
manatee (n.)
"sea-cow; gregarious, herbivorous aquatic mammal," originally in reference to the species which inhabit brackish waters in Florida and the West Indies, 1550s, from Spanish manatí (1530s), from Carib manati "breast, udder." The word often is associated with, and perhaps influenced in form by Latin manatus "having hands." Johnson etymologizes it so in his dictionary: "It has two fins, which stand forward on the breast like hands, whence the Spaniards called it manatee." Related: Manatine, manatoid.
manchego (n.)
type of firm cow's-milk cheese from Spain, 1905, literally "of La Mancha," the region in central Spain from which it takes its name. The connection of the region name with Spanish mancha "spot, stain, patch," is unclear, and the name of the plateau is perhaps a folk-etymologizing from an Arabic word. Manchego referring to the people of La Mancha, is attested in English by 1779.
Manchester
large city in Lancashire, Mameceastre (1086), from Mamucio (4c.), the original Celtic name, which is perhaps from *mamm "breast, breast-like hill," + Old English ceaster "Roman town" (see Chester). Adjective Mancunian is from the Medieval Latin form of the place-name, Mancunium.
manchild (n.)
also man-child, "male child, male infant," late 14c., from man (n.) + child.
Manchu
1650s, member of Tungusic race of Manchuria which conquered China in 1644 and remained its ruling class until the Revolution of 1912. From a native word in the Manchu language meaning literally "pure," used as the name of the tribe descended from the Nu-chen Tartars.
Manchuria
large part of China east of Mongolia and north of Korea, named for the Manchu (literally "pure") people + -ia. Related: Manchurian. Manchurian Candidate is 1959 as a novel, 1962 as a film.
-mancy
word-forming element of Greek origin meaning "divination by means of," from Old French -mancie, from Late Latin -mantia, from Greek manteia "oracle, divination," from mantis "one who divines, a seer, prophet; one touched by divine madness," from mainesthai "be inspired," which is related to menos "passion, spirit" (from PIE *mnyo-, suffixed form of root *men- (1) "to think," with derivatives referring to qualities and states of mind or thought). Compare mania.