n.
Pronunciation: ' ma-n ə -p ə l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin manipulus, from Latin, handful, from manus hand + -pulus (perh. akin to Latin pl ē re to fill); from its having been orig. held in the hand ― more at MANUAL , FULL
Date: 15th century
1 : a long narrow strip of silk formerly worn at mass over the left arm by clerics of or above the order of subdeacon
2 [Latin manipulus, from manipulus handful] : a subdivision of the Roman legion consisting of either 120 or 60 men