amanuensis

noun

aman·u·en·sis ə-ˌman-yə-ˈwen(t)-səs How to pronounce amanuensis (audio)

plural amanuenses ə-ˌman-yə-ˈwen(t)-(ˌ)sēz How to pronounce amanuensis (audio)

: one employed to write from dictation or to copy manuscript

composed her autobiography with the help of an amanuensis

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The Etymology of Amanuensis

In Latin, the phrase servus a manu translates loosely as "slave with secretarial duties." (The noun manu, meaning "hand," gave us words such as manuscript, which originally referred to a document written or typed by hand.) In the 17th century the second part of this phrase was borrowed into English to create amanuensis, a word for a person who is employed (willingly) to do the important but sometimes menial work of transcribing the words of another. While other quaint words, such as scribe or scrivener, might have similarly described the functions of such a person in the past, these days we're likely to call him or her a secretary or an administrative assistant.

Example Sentences

thanks to the efforts of his dutiful amanuensis, copies of most of the author's letters and unpublished manuscripts have been preserved

Recent Examples on the Web Intermittent presidential advisor and capital-class amanuensis Larry Summers has, in similar terms, endorsed the idea that American workers must give up their labor market gains in order to end inflation.

Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 6 Aug. 2022 Andy had aided him in his earliest experiments, serving first as something of a guinea-pig-cum-amanuensis.

Kent Russell, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022 There’s a religious scribe named Nahman of Busk, who functions as Jacob’s amanuensis and whose diary entries depict a man struggling with the idea that enlightenment might not really be all that useful.

Jake Bittle, The New Republic, 2 Mar. 2022 As much amanuensis as protagonist, Ms Broom weaves her memories and her mother’s testimony into a personal, historical and sociological study of African-American life in New Orleans.

The Economist, 8 Aug. 2019 The screenwriters of Lucky have acted as amanuenses to their friend, giving his memories one last go-around on camera.

Christian Lorentzen, New Republic, 29 Sep. 2017

单词	amanuensis
释义	amanuensis noun aman·u·en·sis ə-ˌman-yə-ˈwen(t)-səs plural amanuenses ə-ˌman-yə-ˈwen(t)-(ˌ)sēz : one employed to write from dictation or to copy manuscript composed her autobiography with the help of an amanuensis Did you know? The Etymology of Amanuensis In Latin, the phrase servus a manu translates loosely as "slave with secretarial duties." (The noun manu, meaning "hand," gave us words such as manuscript, which originally referred to a document written or typed by hand.) In the 17th century the second part of this phrase was borrowed into English to create amanuensis, a word for a person who is employed (willingly) to do the important but sometimes menial work of transcribing the words of another. While other quaint words, such as scribe or scrivener, might have similarly described the functions of such a person in the past, these days we're likely to call him or her a secretary or an administrative assistant. Synonyms calligrapher copyist penman scribe scrivener See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences thanks to the efforts of his dutiful amanuensis, copies of most of the author's letters and unpublished manuscripts have been preserved Recent Examples on the Web Intermittent presidential advisor and capital-class amanuensis Larry Summers has, in similar terms, endorsed the idea that American workers must give up their labor market gains in order to end inflation. Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 6 Aug. 2022 Andy had aided him in his earliest experiments, serving first as something of a guinea-pig-cum-amanuensis. Kent Russell, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022 There’s a religious scribe named Nahman of Busk, who functions as Jacob’s amanuensis and whose diary entries depict a man struggling with the idea that enlightenment might not really be all that useful. Jake Bittle, The New Republic, 2 Mar. 2022 As much amanuensis as protagonist, Ms Broom weaves her memories and her mother’s testimony into a personal, historical and sociological study of African-American life in New Orleans. The Economist, 8 Aug. 2019 The screenwriters of Lucky have acted as amanuenses to their friend, giving his memories one last go-around on camera. Christian Lorentzen, New Republic, 29 Sep. 2017 Word History Etymology Latin, from (servus) a manu slave with secretarial duties First Known Use 1619, in the meaning defined above amanuensis noun as in scribe one who writes from dictation or copies manuscripts thanks to the efforts of his dutiful amanuensis, copies of most of the author's letters and unpublished manuscripts have been preserved Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance scribe copyist scrivener penman calligrapher
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amanuensis

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun