manhole
UK[ˈmæn.həʊl]US[ˈmæn.hoʊl]
n
a covered opening in a road, pavement, or other surface that allows access to an underground structure such as a sewer or drain.
Morpheme Breakdown
man
hole
man
a human being, person
hole
a hollow place, an opening
Etymology
the word 'manhole' is a transparent compound formed from two old english roots. the term first appeared in the 18th century, combining 'man', in its original sense of 'a human being' (from proto-germanic mann-), and 'hole', from old english 'hol' (a hollow place). the logic is entirely literal: it is a hole large enough for a person to pass through. this straightforward naming reflects its functional purpose, providing access for maintenance workers to underground utilities, with the meaning of 'man' here being gender-neutral in its historical context of denoting a human agent.
Analysis
Structure: man + hole
man (old english, meaning 'a human being, person') + hole (old english, meaning 'a hollow place, an opening')
Examples
the city worker lifted the heavy iron cover of the manhole to inspect the sewer line below.
a sudden geyser of water erupted from the manhole after the heavy downpour.
for safety, a bright orange cone was placed over the open manhole.