1. a steward or purchasing agent for a college, monastery, or other institution
Usage: archaic; historical

Examples

• The manciple was responsible for buying food and supplies for the monastery.
• In medieval times, a manciple managed the provisions for the college.
• The manciple kept careful records of all purchases made for the institution.
• Chaucer wrote about a manciple in his Canterbury Tales.
• The position of manciple required both business skills and trustworthiness.