Etymology

From man +‎ -essCategory:English terms suffixed with -ess (female)#MANESS, especially after Biblical HebrewCategory:English terms derived from Biblical Hebrew#MANESS אִשָּׁה (ishá, “woman”), which is traditionally presented as a feminine form of אִישׁ ('ish, “man”) but is a false cognate. Compare French hommesse, formed upon the same analogy.

Noun

maness (plural not attested)Category:English lemmas#MANESSCategory:English nouns#MANESSCategory:English nouns with unattested plurals#MANESSCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#MANESSCategory:Pages with entries#MANESSCategory:Pages with 1 entry#MANESS

1. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#MANESS, nonce wordCategory:English nonce terms#MANESS) Female equivalent of manCategory:English female equivalent nouns#MANESS: woman.
   • 1855, Philip James Bailey, The Mystic and Other Poems, p. 130 (Google Books view):

     Taught the Ædenic mysteries of man

     And maness; how in union infinite,

Anagrams

• Essman, Semans, assmen, manses, mensas