Maundy in the UK, a public ceremony on the Thursday before Easter (Maundy Thursday), at which the sovereign distributes Maundy money, silver coins specially minted for this purpose. The number of recipients and the face value in pence of the amount they each receive traditionally correspond to the number of years in the sovereign's age. In the original form of this ceremony, a sovereign, senior cleric, or other eminent person washed the feet of a number of poor people (in commemoration of Christ's washing the Apostles' feet at the Last Supper: John 13), and usually distributed clothing, food, or money.

Recorded from Middle English, the word comes via Old French from Latin mandatum ‘commandment’. The words ‘A new commandment (mandatum novum) (John 13:34), from the discourse which followed the washing of the apostles' feet, were adopted as the first antiphon sung at the commemorative observance.

maundy ceremonial washing of the feet of poor persons on the Thursday next before Easter. XIII (Maundy Thursday XVI). — OF. mandé :- med. use of L. mandātum command (see MANDATE), first word of the first antiphon sung at the ceremony, viz. ‘Mandatum novum do vobis’ (A new commandment give I unto you). taken from the discourse which follows the washing by Christ of the Apostles' feet, John 13. See -Y5.