manciple

American  

[man-suh-puhl] / ˈmæn sə pəl /

noun

1. an officer or steward of a monastery, college, etc., authorized to purchase provisions.

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manciple British  

/ ˈmænsɪpəl /

noun

1. a steward who buys provisions, esp in a college, Inn of Court, or monastery

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Etymology

Origin of manciple

1150–1200 in sense “slave”; Middle English < Middle French manciple, variant of mancipe < Medieval Latin mancipium, Latin: a possession, slave, originally, ownership, equivalent to mancip-, stem of manceps contractor, agent ( man ( us ) hand + -cep-, combining form of capere to take ( see concept) + -s nominative singular ending) + -ium -ium

Example Sentences

"And yet this manciple made them fools, I wot."

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol 58, No. 357, July 1845 by Various

In Tyrwhitt's edition of Chaucer, however, and in all other copies I have seen, the reading is "A gentil manciple was ther of a temple."

From Notes and Queries, Number 21, March 23, 1850 by Various

I had, indeed, took the liberty of telling the manciple that you was not a gentleman to give more trouble than you could 'elp.

From The Ship of Stars by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

At this moment the door opened, and in came the manciple with the dinner paper, which Mr. Vincent had formally to run his eye over.

From Loss and Gain The Story of a Convert by Newman, John Henry

The manciple was to pro- vide all wine and mead, the keeping up the stock of earthenware cups, jugs, basins, and other vessels, together with the lamps and oil.

From The Coming of the Friars by Jessopp, Augustus

Related Words

• administrator
• attendant
• curator
• waiter