maniple
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maniple¹
- /ˈmænɪp(ə)l/ UK
- /ˈmænəpəl/ US
Where it comes from
From Late Middle English maniple, manyple (“scarf worn as vestment, maniple”), borrowed from Middle French, Old French maniple, manipule (“handful; troop of soldiers; scarf worn as vestment”) (modern French manipule), from Latin manipulus (“bundle, handful; troop of soldiers”), from manus (“hand”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- (“to beckon, signal”)) + the weakened root of pleō (“to fill; to fulfil”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”)). The English word is cognate with Italian manipulo (“scarf worn as vestment”) (obsolete), manipolo (“handful; troop of soldiers; scarf worn as vestment”).
Sense 2 (“part of a priest’s vestments”) is probably from the fact that the item was originally carried in the hand. It may originate from a handkerchief or napkin worn by Roman consuls as an indication of rank.
noun maniples · manyple · mainipul · manypule · manaple · manipul
- A division of the Roman army numbering 120 (or sometimes 60) soldiers exclusive of officers; (generally, obsolete) any small body of soldiers. [T]hey divided the Haſtati, Principes, and Triaris, each of them into 10 companies, making of thoſe three ſorts of ſouldiers 30 ſmall regiments, which they called Manipuli: And again, they ſubdivided each maniple into two equall parts, and called them Ordines, which was the leaſt company in a legion
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In Western Christianity, an ornamental band or scarf worn upon the left arm as a part of the vestments of a priest in the Roman Catholic Church, and sometimes the Church of England.
[T]hey, as men thinking baſelie of ſuch ſimple dealing, adde a great deale more to making of their prieſts: they muſt haue oyle, candels, baſens, tovvels, amices, albes, ſtoals, gyrdles, maniples, miters, bookes, croſſes, linnen, bandes, chalices, patens, ſinging cakes, vvine and vvater, flovver, an
Similar: fanon
- A hand; a fist. His poem, however, is meetly enough entituled—Christ Crucified! But the Rev. William Ellis Wall is worse than [Pontius] Pilate. That "wretch," as this miserable calls the Roman governor, was careful to wash his hands of all guilt in the transaction; but the Rev. William Ellis Wall holds forth triump
maniple²
- /ˈmænɪp(ə)l/ UK
- /ˈmænəpəl/ US
Where it comes from
Probably from Late Latin manipulus (“bundle, handful; drachm”) (see further at etymology 1), modelled on Ancient Greek δράγμα (drágma, “bundle, handful; sheaf”) which was confused with δραχμή (drakhmḗ, “drachm”).
noun maniples
- A handful. [K]novving you a ſerious Student in the higheſt arcana’s of Nature; and vvith much excuſe vve bring theſe lovv delights, and poor maniples to your Treaſure.
Translations
Talk about this word "maniple." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/maniple. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. maniple. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/maniple "maniple." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/maniple.Cite this
@misc{maniple_2026,
title = {maniple},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/maniple},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
