約於1200年,“人類的; 具有男性特徵的”,也指“具有男性特質的美德”(果斷、獨立、堅定、可靠); 源自 man(n.)+ -ly(1)。指“男性的,不像男孩或女性,適合戰鬥的男人”可追溯至14世紀晚期。古英語中有 werlic “男性的,男子氣概的”。
Manly, matching womanly, is the word into which have been gathered the highest conceptions of what is noble in man or worthy of his manhood, especially as opposed to which is fawning or underhand. Manful expresses the stanchness, fearlessness, and energy of a man, as opposed to that which is weak, cowardly, or supine. [Century Dictionary, 1895]
Manly,與 womanly 相對應,是一個詞,其中包含了人類中最高尚的概念,即男性的高貴或值得尊敬的品質,特別是與那些卑躬屈膝或陰險狡詐的相對立。 Manful 表達了一個男人的堅定、無畏和活力,與那些軟弱、懦弱或消極的相對立。[世紀詞典,1895]