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Manifesto Has Latin Roots
Manifesto is related to manifest, which occurs in English as a noun, verb, and adjective. Of these, the adjective, which means "readily perceived by the senses," is oldest, dating to the 14th century. Both manifest and manifesto derive ultimately from the Latin noun manus ("hand") and -festus, a combining form of uncertain meaning that is also found in the Latin adjective infestus ("hostile"), an ancestor of the English infest. Something that is manifest is easy to perceive or recognize, and a manifesto is a statement in which someone makes his or her intentions or views easy for people to ascertain. Perhaps the most well-known statement of this sort is the Communist Manifesto, written in 1848 by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels to outline the platform of the Communist League.
Examples of manifesto in a Sentence
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 16 May 2026
The ideas that Barlow’s manifesto expressed prevailed in courts and Congress immediately.
—Olivier Sylvain, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Nestled between the layers is a genuinely heartfelt story that blooms from beneath all the aesthetic and verbal vulgarity, thus making innate, and intuitive, his ongoing, ever-evolving manifesto on the state of things.
—Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
Not to provide a blueprint or manifesto for us.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 8 May 2026
Kneecap have skillfully put their manifesto and a detailed rundown of last year’s experiences on their new album, Fenian, whose title, taken from the name of a 19th century Irish revolutionary movement, signals its controversial content.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 6 May 2026
This week, Kacey Musgraves sends a burning letter to an avoidant lover, Vince Staples goes after the establishment on an ominous rap-rock manifesto, and Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter invite you to Club Confessions — just be sure to leave your opinions about them at the door.
—Rolling Stone, 1 May 2026
In Madonna and Stuart Price’s manifesto for the singer’s forthcoming record, CONFESSIONS II, the duo has tapped into the transcendental properties of dance music.
—Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026
The president made the point in a 60 Minutes interview on Sunday, and also slammed CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell for quoting from the gunman’s manifesto.
—Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manifesto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manifesto. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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