manque

¹

[ mahnk ]

noun

, French.

1. the numbers 1 to 18 in roulette.

manqué

²

[ mahng-key; French mahn-key ]

adjective

1. having failed, missed, or fallen short, especially because of circumstances or a defect of character; unsuccessful; unfulfilled or frustrated (usually used postpositively):

   a poet manqué who never produced a single book of verse.

manqué

/ ˈmɒŋkeɪ; mɑ̃ke /

adjective

1. postpositive unfulfilled; potential; would-be

   the manager is an actor manqué

Word History and Origins

Origin of manque¹

Literally, “lack”

Origin of manque²

1770–80; < French, past participle of manquer to lack, be short of < Italian mancare, derivative of manco lacking, defective < Medieval Latin, Late Latin mancus ( Latin: feeble, literally, maimed, having a useless hand, probably derivative of manus hand)

Word History and Origins

Origin of manque¹

C19: literally: having missed

Example Sentences

An artist manque, she maintains that her particular skill is to recognize and nurture talent.

From New York Times

It was a manque version of the hypertheatricality that elevated the band out of scene notoriety to pop ubiquity.

From New York Times

As for Trump, he is the star of his own newsreel, a preening Mussolini manque whose poll numbers are already falling.

From Washington Post

She lacks her husband’s talent for, well, political dexterity, and after so many years at the table of Washington and Wall Street elites she’s hardly persuasive running as Elizabeth Warren manque.

From Wall Street Journal

Philip – a Roth manque – is waiting for the release of his second novel, which is bound to be well received.

From The Guardian