Etymology

in a manner of speaking

Today it means: As it were; figuratively speaking; in a manner, in a way, in a certain respect. Full definition →

Middle English a maner of speche
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

The story

  1. Middle English · derived froma maner of speche“a manner of literary style”
  2. English todayin a manner of speaking

From in + an alteration of Middle English a maner of speche (“a manner of literary style”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.