Etymologically
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manifeste

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ma.nɪˈfeːs.tɛ][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ma.niˈfɛs.te][1]

Forms

manifestē (comparative manifestius, superlative manifestissimē)[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin manifestus (“evident, caught in the act”) + -ē.[2][4] De Vaan reports Leumann's explanation of manifestus as the ablative of manus (“hand”) joined to the element ⟨-festus⟩ of īnfestus, with the first part shortened, which would make it originally “caught by hand”.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its comparative manifestius appears first in Virgil's Aeneid;[6][3] the positive is found from Celsus on,[6][7] meaning “evidently, plainly”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Seneca the Elder and Tacitus also use the comparative,[6] and the superlative appears in Scaevola in the Digest and in Apuleius;[6] Scribonius Largus, Apuleius, Jerome and Sulpicius Severus have the positive.[6] Augustine and the Code of Justinian use the superlative.[6]

British Medieval Latin used it for “openly, visibly”, as when Bede tells of a vision seen plainly and not in dreams, for catching a criminal “in the act”, and for “clearly” to the mind, from Aldhelm and Bede on.[8]

Timeline

  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses the comparative manifestius.[6][7]
  • 14–37 AD – Celsus uses the positive manifestē.[6][7]
  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses the positive and the superlative.[6][7]
  • 354–430 AD – Augustine uses the superlative.[6][7]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Evidently, plainly, clearly.[2][3]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Openly, visibly.[8]
  3. (Medieval Latin, of a crime) In the act, red-handed.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  4. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press