mannequin definition

English mannequin definition

Alternative forms

• manikin, mannikin, manequin

Etymology

From the French mannequin, from the Dutch manneken (“little man”), diminutive of Dutch man (“man”), equivalent to man +‎ -kin; compare ramequin/ramekin. Doublet of manikin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmænəˌkɪn/
• Homophone: manakin

Noun

mannequin (plural mannequins)

1. A dummy, or life-size model of the human body, used for the fitting or displaying of clothes.
   • 2011 April 13, Eric Wilson, “A Mannequin in Every Sense”, in The New York Times‎^[1], ISSN 0362-4331:

     At the same time, Mr. Bolton was intrigued by Mr. Sundsbo’s proposal to make models look like mannequins because it spoke to the blurring of boundaries — between good and evil, angels and demons, nature and technology, permanence and decay — that was a consistent theme of the McQueen collections.

   • 2013 August 16, Barbara Brownie, “Mangled mannequins – what happened to shop-window dummies?”, in The Guardian‎^[2]:

     There was a time when a mannequin was the sculptural equivalent of fashion model. Like a fashion model, the mannequin was intended to reflect our social, professional and aesthetic aspirations.

   • 2020 May 14, Lauren Aratani, “Model companions: restaurant solves social distancing dilemma with mannequins”, in The Guardian‎^[3]:

     With the idea that guests may feel lonely eating at a restaurant that can only reach 50% capacity […] the restaurant will be placing mannequins throughout its dining rooms.

2. A jointed model of the human body used by artists, especially to demonstrate the arrangement of drapery.
3. An anatomical model of the human body for use in teaching of e.g. CPR.
4. (dated) A person who models clothes.

   Synonym: fashion model

   • 1951, Denise Robins, Heart of Paris, Ulverscroft, →ISBN, page 14:

     […] all of which made a perfect neutral background for the mannequins who moved around swiftly, gracefully, exhibiting one glorious creation after another.

Derived terms

• mannequinlike

Translations

Further reading

• mannequin on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

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Danish mannequin definition

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /manəˈkɛŋ/, [mænəˈkʰeŋ], [mæn̩ˈkʰeŋ]

Etymology

From French mannequin.

Noun

mannequin c (singular definite mannequinen, plural indefinite mannequiner)

1. mannequin

Declension

Further reading

• “mannequin” in Den Danske Ordbog

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Dutch mannequin definition

Etymology

Borrowed from French mannequin, from Dutch manneken.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌmɑ.nəˈkɛːn/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: man‧ne‧quin

Noun

mannequin m (plural mannequins)

1. A clothes model or fashion model, a mannequin.

Hypernyms

• model

Related terms

• man

Descendants

• → Papiamentu: mannequin, manikin

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French mannequin definition

Etymology

From Dutch manneken.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /man.kɛ̃/

Noun

mannequin m (plural mannequins)

1. fashion model
   • 2016 September 9, "Un mannequin défiguré à l’acide défile à la Fashion Week de New York", Le Monde.

     Elle était conviée à défiler pour le collectif de jeunes créateurs italiens FTL Moda, qui a régulièrement fait parler de lui ces dernières saisons, plus pour ses choix de mannequins que pour ses vêtements.

     She was invited to model for the Italian young designers' collective FTL Moda, that had regularly made itself the talk of the town during previous seasons, more for its choice of models than for its clothes.

2. dummy, mannequin
   • 2016 August 18, Matteo Maillard, "Être mère et prostituée au Mali", Le Monde.

     C’est pourquoi elle a garni le mur de sa chambre turquoise de perruques qu’elle a fabriquées sur une tête de mannequin, les nuits sans clients comme celle-ci.

     It is why she has decorated the wall of her turquoise room with wigs that she made on a mannequin's head on nights without clients, like this one.

Descendants

Further reading

• “mannequin”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.