mankyn

Middle English

Alternative forms

• mankynne, man-kynne (Late Middle English); mannkinn (Ormulum)
• man ken, mankenn (East Saxon, Kent); manken, man kin (Norfolk)
• mankun (Southern); man cun, moncun, mon-cun, monkun, mon-kun, monkyn (West Midland)

Etymology

Inherited from Old English mancynn, from Proto-West Germanic *manakuni, from Proto-Germanic *manakunją. By surface analysis, man (“man, human”) +‎ kyn (“kin”); compare mankynde.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmanˌkin/
• IPA^(key): /ˈmanˌkɛn/ (East Anglia, East Saxon, Kent)
• IPA^(key): /ˈmɔnˌkyn/ (West Midland)

Noun

mankyn (uncountable, genitive singular mankynnes, dative singular mankynne)

1. Humankind, humanity; the human race.

   Synonym: mankynde

2. (Early Middle English) A grouping of humans (e.g. an army or ethnicity)
3. (rare) Human nature or form.

   Synonym: mankynde

Usage notes

• mankynde is the more usual term for "mankind" after the Early Middle English period.

References

• “man-kin, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.