Where does “girl Friday” come from?
girl Friday (English) comes from English man Friday, from English MAN, from English manual, from Middle English manuel, from Anglo-Norman manuel, from Old French manual, from Latin manuālis, from Latin manus — human being; man; hand.
girl Friday (English): A right-hand woman
Definitions
- A right-hand woman
Ancestry of “girl Friday”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | man Friday | A trusted man whose job is to assist and organize someone else's day-to-day business or personal tasks; a personal assistant, a right-hand man; also, a trusted male companion |
| 2 | English | MAN | Initialism of Metropolitan Area Network |
| 3 | English | manual | A handbook; A booklet that instructs on the usage... |
| 4 | Middle English | manuel | — |
| 5 | Anglo-Norman | manuel | manual; done with the hands; handle; manual;... |
| 6 | Old French | manual | — |
| 7 | Latin | manuālis | hand |
| 8 | Latin | manus | hand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | manus | hand |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | man- | human being; man; hand |