English
Manichaeism
Manichaeism comes from Latin Manichaismus ‘Manichaism/Manichaeism’, and goes back to Classical Syriac ܡܐܢܝ ܚܝܐ ‘Living Mani’.
- Classical Syriacmodernܡܐܢܝ ܚܝܐMānī ḥayyā‘Living Mani’
- Koine Greekc. 300 BCE–600 CEΜανιχαῖοςManikhaîos‘Manichaeus’
- Koine Greek, derivedc. 300 BCE–600 CEΜανιχαϊσμόςManikhaïsmós‘Manichaism/Manichaeism’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEManichaismus‘Manichaism/Manichaeism’
- Englishearliest quotation 1988Manichaeism
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Classical Syriacmodernܡܐܢܝ ܚܝܐMānī ḥayyā‘Living Mani’
- Koine Greekc. 300 BCE–600 CEΜανιχαῖοςManikhaîos‘Manichaeus’
- Koine Greek, derivedc. 300 BCE–600 CEΜανιχαϊσμόςManikhaïsmós‘Manichaism/Manichaeism’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEManichaismus‘Manichaism/Manichaeism’
- Englishearliest quotation 1988Manichaeism
Earliest quotation: 1988, William Safire, No Shades of Gray: “In Manichaeism, as Benny Goodman used to sing, it's…”
A compound of ܡܐܢܝ + ܚܝܐ ‘living, alive’ + -ισμός
The story
Although Manichaeism is the most widespread spelling in English, it is a hypercorrection. The expected derivation from Koine Greek Μανιχαϊσμός (Manikhaïsmós) and Latin Manichaismus is Manichaism (compare with Judaism, from Ancient Greek Ἰουδαϊσμός (Ioudaïsmós), or with archaism, from Ancient Greek ἀρχαϊσμός (arkhaïsmós)).
Every English word from Classical Syriac ܡܐܢܝ ܚܝܐ
Today it means
name A syncretic, dualistic religion that combines elements of Zoroastrian, Christian, and Gnostic thought, founded by the Iranian prophet Mani in the 3rd century AD.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Classical Syriac ܡܐܢܝ ܚܝܐ / Manichaeism