maniple

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. An ornamental silk band hung as an ecclesiastical vestment on the left arm near the wrist.
2. n. A subdivision of an ancient Roman legion, containing 60 or 120 men.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A handful.
2. n. In Roman antiquity, a military company consisting normally of 120 men in three out of the four classes of infantry (velites, hastati, and principes), and of 60 men in the fourth (triarii), with two (first and second) centurions and a standard-bearer. Three maniples constituted a cohort.
3. n. Hence A company or any small body of soldiers.
4. n. In the Western Church, one of the eucharistic vestments, consisting of a short, narrow strip, similar in material, width, and color to the stole. It is marked with a cross and generally embroidered and fringed. The maniple is worn by prelates, priests, deacons, and subdeacons, hanging from the left sleeve of the alb, fastened near the wrist, or attached by strings, pins, or a button. It is assumed by the celebrant after the alb and girdle, and before the stole. A bishop assumes it at the Indulgentiam. In Anglican churches maniples are worn, as in themedieval church, three or four feet in length; in the Roman Catholic Church they are now much shorter. The maniple seems to have first come into use in the eighth century, and was originally a piece of white linen used as a handkerchief. Till the twelfth century and later it continued to be held in the hand. There is no corresponding vestment in the Eastern Church, though some writers have confounded the epimanikion with it. Other names formerly given to the maniple were fanon or phanon, mantile, manutergium, mappula or mappa, and sudarium.
5. n. In the middle ages, a garment worn under the armor.

Wiktionary

1. n. rare A handful.
2. n. A division of the Roman army numbering 60 or 120 men exclusive of officers, any small body of soldiers; a company.
3. n. Originally, a napkin; later, an ornamental band or scarf worn upon the left arm as a part of the vestments of a priest in the Roman Catholic Church, and sometimes worn in the English Church service.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. rare A handful.
2. n. A division of the Roman army numbering sixty men exclusive of officers; any small body of soldiers; a company.
3. n. Originally, a napkin; later, an ornamental band or scarf worn upon the left arm as a part of the vestments of a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. It is sometimes worn in the English Church service.