Does manocito mean "gentle?"

Question

A native speaker tells me that "manocito" (or was it mancito) means gentle.

Is this so? I can't find it in a dictionary.

Answer 1

Is this so? I can't find it in a dictionary.

Because people in Latin America use "seseo", ie. they don't pronounce "ce" and "se" exactly the same way, so these sort of misspellings happen very often. In the areas of Spain where these sounds are differentiated, these misspellings never happen.

Mancito's origin also intrigues me. Maybe from mano + cito, meaning small hand - one not given to aggressive action?

It doesn't come from mano + cito, but mans(o) + ito. The diminutive of "mano" is "manita", with "man(o)" + "ito".

Answer 2

Thank you! It is likely used informally in certain areas of Mexico? Like in my neighboring Sonora?

I wanted a good word for "gentle," because I often meet walkers in the river valley below my home near the Mexican border, and my friendly dogs will run to them. Sometimes the walkers become alarmed, and I call out, "¡No bravos!" I wanted to add, "They are gentle."

Any other suggestions?

Mancito's origin also intrigues me. Maybe from mano + cito, meaning small hand - one not given to aggressive action?

Answer 3

mancito... si.... I found this..

Significado de la palabra Mansito, esta bien escrito asi o es mancito como se escribe?

Diminutivo del adjetivo "manso"

Significa "despacito", "con tranquilidad". Se escribe con "s" porque proviene de "manso". --Piolinfax (Cuéntame) 18:39 16 mar 2008 (UTC)

"Mansito" está bien escrito. Significa: muy despacio, muy lentamente.

Disminutivo de manso, palabra del latín clásico "mansuétus", palabra que derivó en la dicción latina vulgar "mansus", etimología de "manso", de índole benigna y suave. La palabra "mancito" no existe en la lengua castellana.

Answer 4

Are you sure that it wasn't some form of manso?

manso