manifest means evident to the senses, especially to the sight; apparent; distinctly perceived. It carries an Arena rating of 1704, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, manifest ranks #117 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #783 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #878 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,412 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
manifest is pronounced /ˈmæn.ɪ.fɛst/.
Why “manifest” is a great word
Clearly apparent to the senses or mind; obvious, or a detailed list of cargo. From Middle English manifest, manifeste, from Latin manifestus, manufestus ("palpable, manifest"), traditionally analyzed as from manus ("hand") + -festus (of uncertain meaning, possibly "struck"), first attested in English in the late 14th century. Unlike "obscure," which shrouds itself in ambiguity, or "latent," which buries potential beneath the surface, manifest is the condition of having already arrived, fully grasped and undeniable. It is the bruise purpling on the skin, the sour tang of spoiled milk rising in the throat, and the ship's ledger left open—every crate, every name, every truth laid bare, an end to speculation in the lamp's unflinching glow.
Etymology
From Middle English manifest, manifeste, from Latin manifestus, manufestus (“palpable, manifest”), from Latin manus (“hand”) + an uncertain second element. Doublet of manifesto.
adj
- Evident to the senses, especially to the sight; apparent; distinctly perceived.
- Obvious to the understanding; apparent to the mind; easily apprehensible; plain; not obscure or hidden.
- Detect; convicted.
noun
- A list or invoice of the passengers or goods being carried by a commercial vehicle or ship.e.g.“Near-synonym: bill of lading”
- A file containing metadata describing other files.
- A public declaration; an open statement; a manifesto.
verb
- To show plainly; to make to appear distinctly, usually to the mind; to put beyond question or doubt; to display; to exhibit.e.g.“His courage manifested itself through the look on his face.”
- To become manifest; to be revealed.e.g.“His osteoporosis first manifested as pain in his hips.”
- To will something to exist.e.g.“The process of creating your treasure map is a powerful step toward manifesting your goal. Now just spend a few minutes each day looking at it[…]” — 1982, Shakti Gawain, The Creative Visualization Workbook:
- To exhibit the manifests or prepared invoices of; to declare at the customhouse.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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