Main Entry:

¹man

Pronunciation:

\ˈman, in compounds ˌman or mən\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural men \ˈmen, in compounds ˌmen or mən\

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English man, mon human being, male human; akin to Old High German man human being, Sanskrit manu

Date:

before 12th century

1 a (1): an individual human ; especially : an adult male human (2): a man belonging to a particular category (as by birth, residence, membership, or occupation) —usually used in combination <councilman> (3): husband (4): lover b: the human race : humankind c: a bipedal primate mammal (Homo sapiens) that is anatomically related to the great apes but distinguished especially by notable development of the brain with a resultant capacity for articulate speech and abstract reasoning, is usually considered to form a variable number of freely interbreeding races, and is the sole living representative of the hominid family ; broadly : any living or extinct hominid d (1): one possessing in high degree the qualities considered distinctive of manhood (2)obsolete : the quality or state of being manly : manliness e: fellow, chap —used as mode of familiar address f—used interjectionally to express intensity of feeling <man, what a game>2 a: individual, person <a man could get killed there> b: the individual who can fulfill or who has been chosen to fulfill one's requirements <she's your man>3 a: a feudal tenant : vassal b: an adult male servant cplural : the working force as distinguished from the employer and usually the management4 a: one of the distinctive objects moved by each player in various board games b: one of the players on a team5: an alumnus of or student at a college or university <a Bowdoin man>6Christian Science : the compound idea of infinite Spirit : the spiritual image and likeness of God : the full representation of Mind7often capitalized : police <when I heard the siren, I knew it was the Man — American Speech>8often capitalized : the white establishment : white society <surprise that any black…should take on so about The Man — Peter Goldman>9: one extremely fond of or devoted to something specified <strictly a vanilla ice cream man>

— man·less \ˈman-ləs\ adjective

— man·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

— as one man

: with the agreement and consent of all : unanimously

— one's own man

: free from interference or control : independent

— to a man

: without exception