manumit
UK[ˌmæn.jʊˈmɪt]US[ˌmæn.jəˈmɪt]
v
To release from slavery or servitude; to set free.
Morpheme Breakdown
manu
mit
manu
hand
mit
send
Etymology
The word 'manumit' originates from the Latin compound manumittere, formed from manus (hand) and mittere (to send). The literal act involved a master symbolically sending a slave out of his hand or control, a formal gesture of release. This legal and ceremonial concept of releasing from the hand directly evolved into the modern, abstract meaning of emancipating someone from bondage. The term preserves the ancient logic of physical release as the foundation for the concept of granting liberty.
Analysis
Structure: manu (hand) + mit (send)
- manu: From Latin manus, meaning "hand." It functions as a combining form indicating a connection to the hand or a manual action.
- mit: From Latin mittere, meaning "to send, let go, release." It functions as a verb-forming root indicating an act of sending or releasing.
Examples
The decree was passed to manumit all enslaved individuals within the empire's borders.
In ancient Rome, a citizen could formally manumit a slave in a public ceremony.
His final will and testament included a provision to manumit his household servants.