English
manacle
Manacle comes from Anglo-Norman manicle, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- ‘to beckon, signal’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)meh₂-‘to beckon, signal’root as named · steps between not traced
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400manicle
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500manacle
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)meh₂-‘to beckon, signal’root as named · steps between not traced
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400manicle
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500manacle
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “And gainſt the General we will lift our ſwords…”
The story
The noun is derived from Middle English manacle, manakelle, manakil, manakyll, manicle, manikil, manycle, manykil, manykle, from Anglo-Norman manicle, manichle (‘gauntlet; handle of a plough; (in plural) manacles’), and Middle French manicle, Old French manicle (‘armlet; gauntlet; (in plural) manacles’) (modern French manicle, manique (‘gauntlet’)), from Latin manicula (‘handle of a plough; manacle’), from manus (‘hand’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- (‘to beckon, signal’)) + -cula (from -culus, variant of -ulus (suffix forming diminutive nouns)).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- ‘to beckon, signal’
main, commander, manner, manage, manual, mandate, manga, commodore, manifest, commendation, amaze, commando, commandant, commandment, manus, mano, mastiff, commandeer, 29 more
Today it means
noun A shackle for the wrist, usually consisting of a pair of joined rings; a handcuff; (by extension) a similar device put around an ankle to restrict free movement.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- / manacle