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manifest

[ man-uh-fest ]
/ ˈmæn əˌfɛst /
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See synonyms for: manifest / manifested / manifesting / manifests on Thesaurus.com
adjective
readily perceived by the eye or the understanding; evident; obvious; apparent; plain: a manifest error.
Psychoanalysis. of or relating to conscious feelings, ideas, and impulses that contain repressed psychic material: the manifest content of a dream as opposed to the latent content that it conceals.
verb (used with object)
noun

VIDEO FOR MANIFEST

What Part Of Speech Is The Word "Manifest"?

In English, manifest can be an adjective, verb, and a noun. Oh yea, and at one time, it was even an adverb. Great, one word showcasing how crazy confusing the English language can be.

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Origin of manifest

First recorded in 1350–1400; (adjective) Middle English manifest(e), from Latin manifestus, manufestus “detected in the act, evident, visible”; (verb) Middle English manifesten, from Middle French manifester, from Latin manifestāre, derivative of manifestus. See manus

synonym study for manifest

3. See display.

historical usage of manifest

English manifest exists as three parts of speech: in historical order, adjective (late 14th century), verb (early 15th), and noun (mid-16th). Manifest ultimately comes from Latin manifestus (also manufestus ) and its derivatives, meaning “caught red-handed, caught in the act, evident, plain to see, readily understood.” The first element, mani- (or manu- ), derives from manus “hand”; the element - festus, however, is very rare and occurs in only one other Latin adjective, infestus “hostile, antagonistic, troubled.”
The Latin sense of manifestus “evident, plain to see” is the earliest sense in English. The Latin verb manifestāre “to make visible, indicate, make plain, disclose,” a derivative of manifestus, is, along with the Middle French verb manifester, the source of the English verb.
The noun sense of manifest, “a list of a ship’s cargo or goods,” appeared in the late 17th century and comes from Italian manifesto “a public declaration, especially a written declaration,” which dates from the early 17th century. That Italian word is, of course, the source of English manifesto, “a public declaration of intentions, opinions, etc.,” which happens to be one of the less common meanings of English manifest.

OTHER WORDS FROM manifest

Words nearby manifest

Manichean, manicotti, manicure, manicurist, manifer, manifest, manifestant, manifestation, manifestative, Manifest Destiny, manifested
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT MANIFEST

What does manifest mean?

Manifest describes something that is readily understood, obvious, or apparent upon viewing, as in Saying the sky is full of flying pigs is manifest nonsense.

To manifest something is to prove beyond all doubt, as in Climate change is manifesting itself through the increase of superstorms.

To manifest also means to display or show plainly, as in Clara’s embarrassment manifested itself on her face as a blush.

A manifest is a list of cargo carried by a plane, ship, truck, or train. To manifest the cargo is to list it on a manifest.

Example: He managed to manifest a smile despite being so uncomfortable.

Where does manifest come from?

The first records of the term manifest come from the mid-1300s. It ultimately comes from the Latin manifestus, meaning “detected in the act, evident, or visible.”

All uses of manifest, despite their context, relate to making something known or seen. In psychoanalysis, manifest means relating to the feelings and emotions that people hold subconsciously. Feelings that you aren’t consciously aware of might become manifest content in your dreams.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to manifest?

  • manifestable (adjective)
  • manifester (noun)
  • manifestly (adverb)
  • self-manifest (adjective)

What are some synonyms for manifest?

What are some words that share a root or word element with manifest? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing manifest?

How is manifest used in real life?

Manifest is a common word with several senses related to visibility and obviousness.

 

Try using manifest!

Is manifest used correctly in the following sentence?

I manifested my feelings by not showing any feelings on my face.

Words related to manifest

glaring, palpable, unambiguous, unmistakable, demonstrate, embody, illustrate, prove, reveal, signify, bold, clear-cut, disclosed, divulged, evidenced, evinced, open, patent, plain, shown

How to use manifest in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for manifest

manifest
/ (ˈmænɪˌfɛst) /
adjective
easily noticed or perceived; obvious; plain
psychoanal of or relating to the ostensible elements of a dreammanifest content Compare latent (def. 5)
verb
noun
a customs document containing particulars of a ship, its cargo, and its destination
  1. a list of cargo, passengers, etc, on an aeroplane
  2. a list of railway trucks or their cargo
  3. mainly US and Canadian a fast freight train carrying perishables

Derived forms of manifest

manifestable, adjectivemanifestly, adverbmanifestness, noun

Word Origin for manifest

C14: from Latin manifestus plain, literally: struck with the hand, from manū with the hand + -festus struck
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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