enchiridion
Americannoun
plural
enchiridions, enchiridianoun
Etymology
Origin of enchiridion
1535–45; < Late Latin < Greek encheirídion handbook, equivalent to en- en- 2 + cheír hand + -idion diminutive suffix
Explanation
In ancient Greece, an enchiridion was a small, portable book that gave information about one specific topic. A new car usually comes with its own enchiridion. Enchiridion is derived from the Greek enkheiridios, "that which is held in the hand," from kheir, "hand." Imagine a small handbook or manual that would fit in a tote bag or large pocket — that's an enchiridion. The first of these were written by ancient Greeks on topics including ethics, law, and the writing of poetry. But if you want to impress, you can describe the manual that comes with a new blender or television as an enchiridion.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Carson's book is strewn with such showoff, jawbreaker words as armigerous, pogonologist, acescent, enchiridion, ochlocracy.*
From Time Magazine Archive
Sarah and Isaac were romping noisily about and under the beds; Rachel was at the table, knitting a scarf for Solomon; the grandmother pored over a bulky enchiridion for pious women, written in jargon.
From Children of the Ghetto A Study of a Peculiar People by Zangwill, Israel
Alani enchiridion de planctu seu conquestu naturæ, prosa et versu.—
From The Private Diary of Dr. John Dee And the Catalog of His Library of Manuscripts by Dee, John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
