manumission
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of manumission
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin manūmissiōn- (stem of manūmissiō ). See manumit, mission
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How does manumission compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
In the United States before the Civil War, when owning slaves was common, manumission was the act of setting a slave free. When Hamilton sings about "revolutionary manumission abolitionists" in the musical Hamilton, he's being a tiny bit redundant. Manumission and abolition are both used to mean "freeing slaves" or "a release from slavery." More specifically though, manumission is the act of a slave owner setting slaves free, while emancipation (and abolition) involve government action. When slavery was legal in the U.S., most who opposed it believed in all three.
Vocabulary lists containing manumission
Send a Message: Mit and Miss
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Hamilton
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Body Language: Man ("Hand")
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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.
In the 1820s, for instance, the North Carolina Manumission Society had 1,600 members.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2025
Chapman is a city council member and the founder of the Manumission Tour Company, which offers Black history tours in Alexandria.
From Washington Post • Jan. 2, 2022
For example, Chernow noted Hamilton’s work with the Manumission Society to abolish slavery in New York and defend free Blacks when slave masters from out of state tried to snatch them off New York streets.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 10, 2020
Though Jay owned several slaves himself and so did Hamilton’s in-laws, for example, both were founding members of the New-York Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves.
From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018
“And Miss Von Marsh of the Ladies’ Manumission Society, I believe I overheard you say you’re going to the theater.”
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
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.
