manipulate
UK[məˈnɪp.jə.leɪt]US[məˈnɪp.jə.leɪt]
v
To control or influence someone or something in a clever or dishonest way.
v
To handle or control something, especially a tool, machine, or information, with skill.
Morpheme Breakdown
mani
pul
ate
mani
hand
pul
to fill, to lead
ate
verb suffix
Etymology
The word 'manipulate' has a literal origin in manual dexterity. It derives from the Latin manipulus, meaning "a handful" or "a sheaf", which itself is a compound of manus ("hand") and the root -pulus (from plere, "to fill"). The term entered English via the French manipuler, initially used in the 1820s in a physical sense for handling objects or tools skillfully with the hands. Over the 19th century, its meaning extended metaphorically to describe the skillful and often cunning control or influence of people, systems, or data, mirroring the action of guiding something manually but with abstract intent.
Analysis
Structure: mani (hand) + pul (to fill, to lead) + ate (verb suffix)
mani: From Latin manus, meaning "hand".
pul: From Latin -pulare, a frequentative verb suffix related to plere (to fill) and pellere (to drive, lead).
ate: A verb-forming suffix from Latin -atus.
Examples
The programmer learned to manipulate large datasets efficiently.
He was accused of trying to manipulate public opinion through misleading advertisements.
A skilled surgeon can manipulate tiny instruments with great precision.