manqué

adjective

man·​qué mäⁿ-ˈkā 

: short of or frustrated in the fulfillment of one's aspirations or talents

—used postpositively

a poet manqué

Did you know?

The etymology of manqué is likely to vex left-handers. English speakers picked up "manqué" directly from French more than two centuries ago, and it ultimately comes from Latin manco, meaning "having a crippled hand." But in between the Latin and French portions of this word's history came the Italian word manco, which means both "lacking" and "left-handed." Lefties may be further displeased to learn that "manqué" isn't the only English word with a history that links left-handedness with something undesirable. For example, the word awkward comes from "awke," a Middle English word meaning both "turned the wrong way" and "left-handed." And the noun "gawk" ("a clumsy stupid person") probably comes from a "gawk" that means "left-handed" in English dialect.

Word History

Etymology

French, from past participle of manquer to lack, fail, from Italian mancare, from manco lacking, left-handed, from Latin, having a disabled hand, probably from manus

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined above

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