English
manual
Manual comes from Late Latin manuālis ‘handbook, manual’, from Latin manus ‘hand’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *manus.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*manus‘hand’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmanus‘hand’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmanuālisas manuāle‘handbook, manual’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400manuel
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishtodaymanual
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*manus‘hand’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmanus‘hand’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmanuālisas manuāle‘handbook, manual’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400manuel
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishtodaymanual
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- ‘to beckon, signal’
amaze, mastiff, commandery, 27 more
through Proto-Italic *manus ‘hand’
commander, mandate, commodore, commendation, commando, commandant, commandment, mannered, commandeer, 26 more
through Latin manus ‘hand’
main, manner, manage, manipulation, manufacture, manga, manifesto, manifest, mano, manus, manacles, 26 more
Another origin of manual
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)meh₂-‘to beckon’uncertain
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*manus‘hand’uncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmanus‘hand’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmanuālis‘hand’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400manuel
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishtodaymanual
Today it means
noun Synonym of handbook.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *manus / manual