manna

noun

man·​na ˈma-nə How to pronounce manna (audio)
1
a
: food miraculously supplied to the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness
b
: divinely supplied spiritual nourishment
c
: a usually sudden and unexpected source of gratification, pleasure, or gain
2
a
: the sweetish dried exudate of a Eurasian ash (especially Fraxinus ornus) that contains mannitol and has been used as a laxative and demulcent
b
: a similar product excreted by a scale insect (Trabutina mannipara) feeding on the tamarisk

Examples of manna in a Sentence

Your generous gift was manna from heaven. the announcement that there would be a sequel was manna to the many fans of the original movie
Recent Examples on the Web This sensation is the manna of mountain climbing, a reason that so many of us return to peaks so high and massive the world seems infinite. Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 9 Sep. 2024 The manna trees, or Eucalyptus viminalis, along this public roadside, which is situated more or less in the center of the island, and throughout the national park, were planted many years ago by park rangers and volunteers. Elizabeth Warkentin, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2024 Pardons and clemency will rain down like manna on Jan. 6, 2021, insurrectionists. Colbert I. King, Washington Post, 3 July 2024 This was manna for kids, who could text (or sext) each other without fear of their parents’ prying eyes. Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 25 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for manna 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manna.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Greek, from Hebrew mān

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of manna was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near manna

Cite this Entry

“Manna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manna. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

manna

noun
man·​na ˈman-ə How to pronounce manna (audio)
1
: food miraculously supplied to the Israelites in the wilderness
2
: a usually sudden and unexpected source of pleasure or gain

Medical Definition

manna

noun
man·​na ˈman-ə How to pronounce manna (audio)
1
: the sweetish dried exudate of a European ash (especially Fraxinus ornus) that contains mannitol and has been used as a laxative and demulcent
2
: a product that is similar to manna and is excreted by a scale insect (Trabutina mannipara) feeding on the tamarisk

More from Merriam-Webster on manna

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!