manilla
UK[məˈnɪlə]US[məˈnɪlə]
n
A type of strong brown paper or fiber, originally made from Manila hemp.
n
A bracelet or necklace, often made of metal, used as a form of currency or ornament in parts of West Africa.
Etymology
The word 'manilla' is a toponym derived from Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It entered English in the 16th and 17th centuries via Spanish, referring initially to products like hemp and paper exported from that port. The distinct meaning of a West African metal currency bracelet arose through colonial trade, where these items, often manufactured in Europe, were named for the Manila hemp ropes used on the ships that transported them or for the perceived exoticism of the name itself. Thus, a geographical name transformed into terms for two disparate commodities linked by the history of global exchange.
Analysis
This word is a loanword and toponym, adopted as a simplex unit into English. It is not productively formed from separable English morphemes.
Examples
The old document was carefully wrapped in durable manilla.
Archaeologists uncovered several bronze manillas at the site of the ancient trading post.
She filed the reports in a separate manilla folder.