manqué Hear it!

manqué definition

man·qué (n)

adjective

  1. that falls short of the goal; unsuccessful or defective
  2. potential but unrealized; would-be: placed after the noun it modifies [a scholar manqué]: also used of a woman, in which case it is spelled man·quée′ (-kā)

Etymology: Fr < pp. manquer, to fail, be lacking < It mancare < manco, deficient < L mancus, infirm, defective < base of manus, hand: see manual

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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