Question

manqué adjective The etymology of manqué is likely to vex left-handers. English speakers picked up manqué directly from French more than two centuries ago, and it ultimately comes from Latin manco, meaning "having a crippled hand." But in between the Latin and French portions of this word's history came the Italian word manco, which means both "lacking" and "left-handed." Lefties may be further displeased to learn that manqué isn't the only English word with a history that links left-handedness with something undesirable. For example, the word awkward comes from awke, a Middle English word meaning both "turned the wrong way" and "left-handed." And the noun gawk ("a clumsy stupid person") probably comes from a gawk that means "left-handed" in English dialect. : short of or frustrated in the fulfillment of one's aspirations or talents -- used postpositively

Accepted Answer

October 8, 2015 mahng-KAY (the "ng" is not pronounced, but the preceding vowel i Natalie is an actress manqué who moved to New York 10 years ago and is still looking for her first big break. "At the center of the author's examination is Alexander Popper, a fiction writer manqué … reluctant law-school graduate who winds up handling misdemeanor cases for the Cook County Public Defender." — The Austin (Texas) American-Statesman, 27 Nov. 2011

Word	manqué
Date	October 8, 2015
Type	adjective
Syllables	mahng-KAY (the "ng" is not pronounced, but the preceding vowel i
Etymology	The etymology of manqué is likely to vex left-handers. English speakers picked up manqué directly from French more than two centuries ago, and it ultimately comes from Latin manco, meaning "having a crippled hand." But in between the Latin and French portions of this word's history came the Italian word manco, which means both "lacking" and "left-handed." Lefties may be further displeased to learn that manqué isn't the only English word with a history that links left-handedness with something undesirable. For example, the word awkward comes from awke, a Middle English word meaning both "turned the wrong way" and "left-handed." And the noun gawk ("a clumsy stupid person") probably comes from a gawk that means "left-handed" in English dialect.
Examples	Natalie is an actress manqué who moved to New York 10 years ago and is still looking for her first big break. "At the center of the author's examination is Alexander Popper, a fiction writer manqué … reluctant law-school graduate who winds up handling misdemeanor cases for the Cook County Public Defender." — The Austin (Texas) American-Statesman, 27 Nov. 2011
Definition	: short of or frustrated in the fulfillment of one's aspirations or talents -- used postpositively

Manqué English Word French Latin Manco Meaning History