# mangle

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈmæŋ.ɡ(ə)l/ · frequency rank #60,260

## Definitions
1. To change, mutilate, or disfigure by cutting, tearing, rearranging, etc.
2. To modify (an identifier from source code) so as to produce a unique identifier for internal use by the compiler, etc.

## Etymology
From Middle English mangelen, manglen, from Anglo-Norman mangler, mahangler, frequentative of either Old French mangonner (“to cut to pieces”) or mahaigner (“to mutilate”), of Germanic origin, for which see mayhem.
Alternate etymology derives mangle from Middle English *mankelen, a frequentative form of manken (“to mutilate”), from Old English *mancian, bemancian (“to maim”). More at mank.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mangle