aquamanile

[ ak-wuh-muh-nahy-lee, ah-kwuh-muh-nee-ley ]

noun

, plural aq·ua·ma·ni·les [ak-w, uh, -m, uh, -, nahy, -leez, ah-kw, uh, -m, uh, -, nee, -leys], aq·ua·ma·nil·i·a [ak-w, uh, -m, uh, -, nil, -ee-, uh, ah-kw, uh, -].

1. a medieval ewer, often made in grotesque animal forms.
2. Ecclesiastical. a basin used by a celebrant for washing the hands during the saying of the Mass.

Word History and Origins

Origin of aquamanile¹

First recorded in 1870–75; from Medieval Latin, Late Latin: alteration (perhaps by association with manus “hand”) of Latin aquimināle, aquae mānāle “ewer,” equivalent to aquae, genitive of aqua “water” + mānāle (or manāle ), perhaps derivative of mānāre “to flow, pour”