Etymologically
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manus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈma.nʊs], [ˈma.nuːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmaː.nus], [ˈmaː.nus][1]

Forms

manus f (genitive manūs); fourth declension[1] A genitive manuis is found in Varro, a dative manu in Propertius, and late texts have a genitive plural manum.[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *manu- (“hand”).[3][1] De Vaan reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *mon-u- (“hand”) behind it,[3] but Wiktionary calls the further etymology disputed and lists other proposals, among them Proto-Indo-European *méh₂-r̥ from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- (“to beckon, signal”).[1] Pokorny sets up a root noun *mə-r, genitive *mə-n-és, “hand”.[4][5] Cognate with Oscan manim, Umbrian mani and South Picene manus “hand”, and with Old Irish muin (“protection, patronage”), Hittite maniyaḫḫ- (“to distribute, entrust”), Old High German munt (“hand”) and Old Norse mund (“hand”).[3] Whether the Italic stem was *man- or *manu- is disputed; mancus “maimed” may show the shorter stem.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is attested from the Twelve Tables (c. 450 BC) and Livius Andronicus,[3][5] the Tables ruling on a weapon that flew from the hand rather than being thrown.[2]

Semantic evolution

Beyond the human hand it named the forepaw of a bear or ape, the trunk of an elephant, the twigs of a tree and the manus ferrea, a grappling iron.[2][6] As the instrument of action it stood for force or violence (manu, by force), for fighting (manus conserere, to join battle, and manus dare, to surrender), for a stroke in fencing, for handwriting, and for the touch of an artist, summa manus being the finishing touch.[2][6]

In law it was the power of a husband over his wife, who “came into his hand” (in manum convenire), and of a father or master, whence manu mittere, to set a slave free, and ēmancipāre.[2][3] By metonymy it was an armed band, any company of people, an agent, or a workman.[2] Isidore explains the laying on of hands (manus impositio) as the summoning of the Holy Spirit.[5][7]

Medieval documents use it for possession and for charters, and manus mortua was mortmain, the lord's right over a dead tenant's goods.[8][5] All Romance languages inherit it, as Sardinian manu, Romanian mână, Italian mano, French main and Spanish mano,[9][1] and Italian maneggiare “to handle” gave French manège.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables speak of a weapon flying from the hand.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for an armed band and in manum adire, to trick.[2][5]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it for armed force and for hands raised in prayer.[2][5]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence has in manum dare, to give a wife into a husband's power.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of his own handwriting and of the elephant's “hand”.[2][5]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar's fleet uses manus ferreae, grappling irons.[2][5]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of a stroke in fencing.[2][5]
  • c. 1115 – The Leges Henrici use it in the medieval legal senses.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The hand; the forepaw of an animal; the trunk of an elephant.[2][6]
  2. A grappling iron (manus ferrea).[2][1]
  3. Force, violence; fighting at close quarters; a stroke in fencing.[2][6]
  4. The hand as the instrument of work; handwriting; workmanship, the touch of an artist.[2][6]
  5. (law) The power of a husband over his wife, or of a father or master; an arrest.[2][1]
  6. Possession, control; reach.[2]
  7. An armed band, a troop; a company or faction of people.[2][6]
  8. An agent, a tool; a workman.[2]
  9. A player's stake at dice.[2][1]
  10. (Medieval Latin) A charter, and manus mortua, mortmain.[8][5]

Word family

  • comminus
  • ēminus
  • malluuiae
  • malluvium
  • manceps
  • manica
  • manicula
  • manifestus
  • manifolium
  • manipulus
  • mānsuēs

Usage notes

The noun is feminine although it ends in -us.[2][1] A different Old Latin adjective mānus meant “good” and survives in māne “morning”, Mānēs “spirits of the dead” and immānis “monstrous”.[3][2][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Bern; Munich: Francke
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ Buchi, Éva; Schweickard, Wolfgang, eds. (2008–), Dictionnaire Étymologique Roman (DÉRom), Nancy: ATILF, http://www.atilf.fr/DERom