An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Mange

by Friedrich Kluge

Mange, Mangel, feminine, ‘mangle,’ from Middle High German mange, feminine, ‘machine for rolling woven stuffs, catapult’; compare Dutch mangel, equivalent to English mangle. The origin of the word is sometimes ascribed, on account of the dialectic forms Mande, Mandel, to the Sanscrit root manth, ‘to turn,’ which appears in Old Icelandic mǫndull, ‘handle’ (especially of a hand-mill). Allied terms in Romance show, however, that g in the word Mangel must be very old; Italian mangano, ‘sling,’ Old French mangoneau, ‘sling,’ whence Middle English mangonel. There is no Teutonic type of the whole class; its source is said to be Greek μάγγανον, ‘warlike machine’; perhaps an instrument of this kind furnished the model for the mangle.