Mansuetude

WOTD - 30 January 2009    

English

Etymology

Middle French mansuétude or its source, Latin mansuētūdō, from mansuētus, perfect passive participle of mansuēscō (“‘I tame’”) < manus (“‘hand’”) + suēscō (“‘become accustomed’”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈman.swɪ.tjuːd/
• (US) IPA: /mænˈsuət(j)ud/

• Audio (US)	noicon
  (file)

Noun

Singular Mansuetude

Plural -

Mansuetude (-)

1. (archaic) Gentleness, meekness.
   • 1972, Patrick O'Brian, Post Captain:

     Quo me rapis? Quo indeed. My whole conduct, meekness, mansuetude, voluntary abasement, astonishes me.

Translations

gentleness, meekness

Italian: mansuetudine it(it) f. Polish: łagodność pl(pl) m., delikatność pl(pl)

Portuguese: mansuetude pt(pt) f., mansidão pt(pt) f. Russian: добродушие ru(ru) n.

fr:mansuetude pl:mansuetude pt:mansuetude ru:mansuetude vi:mansuetude