Standard Lemma guide

manumit

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌmænjʊˈmɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˌmænjəˈmɪt/
  • rhymes with -ɪt

1

verb

Meaning 1

To release (someone) from slavery; to free.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: emancipate, enfranchise, liberate

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

free from slavery or servitude

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: emancipate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: liberate, set free

History

Etymology

From Middle English manumitten, from Latin manūmittere, from pre-Classical Latin manū ēmittere (literally “send out from one’s hand”).

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: manumetre — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Finnish: vapauttaa — to release (someone) from slavery
  • French: affranchir — to release (someone) from slavery
  • French: manumettre — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Middle French: affranchir — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Middle French: manumettre — to release (someone) from slavery
  • German: freisprechen — to release (someone) from slavery
  • German: freilassen — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Hungarian: felszabadít — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Italian: emancipare — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Italian: affrancare — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Italian: liberare — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Polish: wyzwalać — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Polish: wyzwolić — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Polish: oswobadzać — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Polish: oswobodzić — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Portuguese: manumitir — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Russian: освобожда́ть (osvoboždátʹ) — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Russian: отпуска́ть (otpuskátʹ) — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Spanish: manumitir — to release (someone) from slavery
  • Spanish: liberar — to release (someone) from slavery