manifesto

1 of 2

noun

man·​i·​fes·​to ˌma-nə-ˈfe-(ˌ)stō How to pronounce manifesto (audio)
plural manifestos or manifestoes
: a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer
The group's manifesto focused on helping the poor and stopping violence.

manifesto

2 of 2

verb

manifestoed; manifestoing; manifestos

intransitive verb

: to issue a manifesto

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Manifesto Has Latin Roots

Manifesto is related to manifest, which occurs in English as a noun, verb, and adjective. Of these, the adjective, which means "readily perceived by the senses," is oldest, dating to the 14th century. Both manifest and manifesto derive ultimately from the Latin noun manus ("hand") and -festus, a combining form of uncertain meaning that is also found in the Latin adjective infestus ("hostile"), an ancestor of the English infest. Something that is manifest is easy to perceive or recognize, and a manifesto is a statement in which someone makes his or her intentions or views easy for people to ascertain. Perhaps the most well-known statement of this sort is the Communist Manifesto, written in 1848 by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels to outline the platform of the Communist League.

Examples of manifesto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Additionally, the handwritten manifesto critical of the healthcare industry was discovered in his possession. Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024 The slaying, his manifesto, and his medical history have unleashed a wave of contempt for the U.S. healthcare system as well as horror stories about its failures. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 13 Dec. 2024 Then create different ways to communicate these values through marketing, including a short manifesto, social media content ideas, and website copy suggestions. Jodie Cook, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 Mangione’s manifesto notes that Americans pay more in health care expenses than in any other country but that their life expectancy is ranked at No. 42 worldwide. Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 12 Dec. 2024 Police also recovered a firearm similar to the one used in the killing, a silencer, and a three-page handwritten manifesto that investigators say sheds light on his motivations, though its specific contents have not been revealed. Nik Popli, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024 How Police Closed in on Man Suspected of Shooting United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson Tisch did not reveal exactly what the manifesto contains. Kc Baker, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024 Mangione, who allegedly had a handwritten manifesto admitting to the killing in his possession when arrested, is a software engineer from a privileged background. David Gilbert, WIRED, 10 Dec. 2024 Kaczynski had taunted officials with a rambling manifesto and was apprehended following one of the longest FBI manhunts in history. Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Italian, denunciation, manifest, from manifestare to manifest, from Latin, from manifestus

First Known Use

Noun

1620, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1748, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manifesto was in 1620

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Dictionary Entries Near manifesto

Cite this Entry

“Manifesto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manifesto. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

manifesto

noun
man·​i·​fes·​to
ˌman-ə-ˈfes-tō
plural manifestos or manifestoes
: a public declaration of intentions or views

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