How did Maundy Thursday receive its name?

Maundy Thursday receives its name from the Latin word mandatum, meaning "command" or "mandate".123

This name refers to the "new commandment" given by Jesus Christ to his disciples during the Last Supper, as recorded in John 13:34: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another". Following the washing of his disciples' feet, Jesus issued this instruction, which became the basis for the term maundy—a word that historically evolved to describe both the foot-washing ceremony performed on this day and the distribution of alms to the poor.123