LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

manceps

manceps m (genitive mancipis)
Classical[ˈmaŋ.kɛps]Ecclesiastical[ˈman̠ʲ.t͡ʃeps]

Meaning

  1. masculinepurchaser, renter
  2. masculinecontractor, agent
  3. masculinesurety, bondsman
  4. masculineowner, proprietor, possessor

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativemancepsmancipēs
genitivemancipismancipum
dativemancipīmancipibus
accusativemancipemmancipēs
ablativemancipemancipibus
vocativemancepsmancipēs

manceps, ĭpis, m. manus-capio,
I. a purchaser of any thing at a public auction, a renter, farmer, contractor, etc. (syn.: redemtor, exactor).
I. Lit.: manceps dicitur, qui quid a populo emit conducitve, quia manu sublata significat se auctorem emptionis esse: qui idem praes dicitur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 151 Müll.: postremo ne in praedae quidem societate mancipem aut praedem ... reperire potuisti, Cic. Dom. 18, 48: si res abiret ab eo mancipe, quem ipse apposuisset, contractor for building, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 54, § 141: hominis studiosissimi nobilitatis manceps fit Chrysogonus, the purchaser, id. Rosc. Am. 8, 21: mancipes a civitatibus pro frumento pecuniam exegerunt, the contractors with the government, farmers, id. Div. in Caecil. 10, 33; id. Dom. 10, 25: nullius rei neque praes neque manceps, Nep. Att. 6, 3: aliquis praevalens annonam flagellet, i. e. a forestaller, speculator, Plin. 33, 13, 57, § 164: sutrinae, a keeper of a stall, id. 10, 43, 60, § 122; Plin. Ep. 3, 19: operarum, one who hires laborers to let them out again, Suet. Vesp. 1; itinera fraude mancipum et incuria magistratuum interrupta, a farmer of the revenue, farmer-general, Tac. A. 3, 31: VIAE APPIAE, Inscr. Orell. 3221.—
II. Transf.
A. A surety, bondsman, bail, = praes: ego mancipem te nihil moror, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 29.—*
B. One who hires people to applaud: conducti et redempti mancipes, Plin. Ep. 2, 14, 4.—*
C. The owner, proprietor, or possessor of a thing: deus et manceps divinitatis, Tert. Apol. 11.—
D. A master, chief: carceris, i. e. jailer, Prud. στεφ. 5, 345; Tert. de Spect. 10.

Origins

From prehistoric *manukaps through syncope. Ultimately from manus (“hand”) + -ceps (“taker”).

Descendants
  • Italianmancipe
  • Catalanmacip
  • Occitanmancip
  • Portuguesemancebo
  • Spanishmancebo
  • Aragonesemancebo
  • Asturianmancebu
  • Galicianmancebo

In English words that came into English from manceps

  • emancipateēmancipātus
  • manciplemancipiolum

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesMancepsManceps has the same relation to mancipium that auspex has to auspicium, and in its original sense = is qui manu capit or qui mancipat; that is, it me…

Quick answers

What does manceps mean in Latin?
manceps, a noun, means “purchaser, renter; contractor, agent; surety, bondsman”.
What is the genitive of manceps?
The genitive singular is mancipis. manceps is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce manceps?
In classical Latin, [ˈmaŋ.kɛps]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈman̠ʲ.t͡ʃeps].