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Origin and history of manicure

manicure(n.)

1873, "one who professionally treats hands and fingernails," from French manicure, literally "the care of the hands and fingernails," from Latin manus "hand" (from PIE root *man- (2) "hand") + cura "care" (see cure (n.1)). Meaning "treatment and care of the hands and fingernails" is attested by 1887.

manicure(v.)

"apply manicure treatment to, care for (the hands and fingernails)," 1885, from manicure (n.). Related: Manicured; manicuring.

also from 1885

Entries linking to manicure

cure(n.1)

c. 1300, "care, heed," from Latin cura "care, concern, trouble," with many figurative extensions over time such as "study; administration; office of a parish priest; a mistress," and also "means of healing, successful remedial treatment of a disease" (late 14c.), from Old Latin coira-, a noun of unknown origin. Meaning "medical care" is late 14c.

manicurist(n.)

"one whose profession is to give manicure treatments, one who makes a business of trimming and polishing the nails, removing blemishes from the hands, etc.," 1884, from manicure (n.) + -ist.

*man-(2)

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "hand."

It might form all or part of: amanuensis; command; commando; commend; countermand; demand; Edmund; emancipate; legerdemain; maintain; manacle; manage; manciple; mandamus; mandate; manege; maneuver; manicure; manifest; manipulation; manner; manque; mansuetude; manual; manubrium; manufacture; manumission; manumit; manure; manuscript; mastiff; Maundy Thursday; mortmain; Raymond; recommend; remand; Sigismund.

It might also be the source of: Hittite maniiahh- "to distribute, entrust;" Greek mane "hand," Latin manus "hand, strength, power over; armed force; handwriting," mandare "to order, commit to one's charge," literally "to give into one's hand;" Old Norse mund "hand," Old English mund "hand, protection, guardian," German Vormund "guardian;" Old Irish muin "protection, patronage."

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    Trends of manicure

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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