manico

Forms

manico m (plural manici or manichi)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *manĭcum (“handle”), from Latin manus (“hand”), that is, “a tool held in the hand”.^[2][3][4][5] A gloss says that the handle called manubrium because it is held in the hand is what country people call manicum; the first part goes back to Varro, the second is a late addition.^[2] Wiktionary treats it as Early Medieval Latin manicus, found in the Liber Glossarum.^[1]

The same word is French manche (“handle”), Occitan mangue, Catalan mànec, Spanish mango and Portuguese mango.^[3][6] DEI calls it a word of all the Italian dialects and of western Romance.^[7]

The Latin noun goes back to Proto-Italic *manus; its further origin is disputed, and de Vaan prefers Proto-Indo-European *mon-u- (“hand”).^[8][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is a document from Prato of 1275, for the handle of a vessel or tool.^[9] DELI's first record is the Italian translation of Crescenzi, about 1350, which says that the hard wood of the service tree makes excellent hammer handles.^[2][10]

Semantic evolution

In the 15th century the word is used for the grip of a sword or knife, and in 1542 for the neck of a stringed instrument.^[2] The derivative manicotto was a muff before 1587, and since 1834 it has also been a sleeve joining two pipes or shafts.^[2]

Many figurative phrases are built on the word: avere il coltello dalla parte del manico, to have the upper hand;^[5][11][12] ciurlare nel manico, to waver or break a promise;^[5][11][12] il difetto sta nel manico, the fault lies with those in charge.^[5][11][12] In slang manico is the control stick of an aircraft, and un bel manico a skilful pilot or driver.^[12][5]

Timeline

• 1275 – The word appears in a Prato document.^[9]
• Before 1320 – GRADIT and Zingarelli date the word.^[4][11]
• About 1350 – The Italian Crescenzi uses it.^[2]
• 15th century – It is used for the grip of a sword or knife.^[2]
• 1542 – S. Ganassi uses it for the neck of a stringed instrument.^[2]
• Before 1587 – Manicotto “muff” appears in G. M. Cecchi.^[2]
• 1834 – Manicotto is recorded for a mechanical sleeve.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A handle, the part of an object held to use, carry or lift it: il manico della padella.^[4][5][1]
2. (music) The neck of a stringed instrument, carrying the fingerboard.^[4][5][1]
3. (rowing) The part of the oar that the rower grips, inside the boat.^[4][5]
4. The hilt or grip of a bladed weapon.^[4][5]
5. (historical) The stock of old firearms.^[4][5]
6. (mathematics) A handle in topology, a surface equivalent to a torus with a hole.^[4][12]
7. (slang) Skill at driving or piloting; the control stick of an aircraft: essere un manico.^[4][5]

Word family

• manicotto
• manichetto
• ammanicarsi
• smanicare

Related words

• manica
• mano
• Latin manus
• French manche

Usage notes

The plural is manici or, less often, manichi.^{[5][11][1][13]} Old and dialect texts have manego.^[10][9] The GDLI also records two rare learned homographs from Greek through Latin: manico “possessed, frenzied” and manico, a poison that causes madness.^[14]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
3. ^ a b Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
6. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
7. ^ Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 2348
8. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
9. ^ a b c Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
10. ^ a b Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
11. ^ a b c d e Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
12. ^ a b c d e Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
13. ^ Prati, Angelico (1951), Vocabolario etimologico italiano, Milano: Garzanti, p. 627
14. ^ Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 9, 674