manly

From Middle English manly, manli, manlich, from Old English *manlīċ, *mannlīċ (suggested by adverb manlīċe, mannlīċe (“in a manly way; stately”)), from Proto-Germanic *mannlīkaz (“manly”), equivalent to man +‎ -ly. Cognate with Old High German manlīh (“manly”) (German männlich), Dutch mannelijk, Old Norse mannligr (“human”) (Danish mandlig, Swedish manlig).

• IPA^(key): /ˈmænli/

manly (comparative manlier, superlative manliest)

1. Having the characteristics of a man.
2. Having qualities befitting a man; courageous, resolute, noble.
   • Shakespeare

     Let's briefly put on manly readiness.

   • Dryden

     Serene and manly, hardened to sustain / The load of life.

   • 2001, Thomas W. Smith, Revaluing Ethics: Aristotle's Dialectical Pedagogy (page 86)

     Without a successful defense of one's city, none of the other virtues would be possible; manly courage seems to be a precondition for anything else worth achieving in life.

• womanly

• manliness

• Lyman, Lynam