Old English

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Etymology

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From Proto-West Germanic *manniskanassī. Equivalent to mennisċ +‎ -nes.

Pronunciation

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IPA(key): /ˈmen.niʃ.nes/

Noun

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mennisċnes f

  1. humanity (meaning "the state of being human", not "mankind"; the word for "mankind" was mancynn)
  2. Incarnation (Christian doctrine that Jesus Christ was fully divine and fully human)
    • late 9th century, translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History
      Đā wæs fēower hund wintra ⁊ nigon ⁊ fēowertiġ frām ūres Drihtnes mennisċnysse...
      It was about four hundred and forty-nine years after our Lord's Incarnation...

Declension

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