Definition of manna
1a : food miraculously supplied to the Israelites in their journey through the wildernessb : divinely supplied spiritual nourishmentc : a usually sudden and unexpected source of gratification, pleasure, or gain
2a : the sweetish dried exudate of a Eurasian ash (especially Fraxinus ornus) that contains mannitol and has been used as a laxative and demulcentb : a similar product excreted by a scale insect (Trabutina mannipara) feeding on the tamarisk
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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 of manna from the Web
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Not all the old folks have died off yet, and even among the young there are a few iconoclasts who reject this technological manna from heaven.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'manna'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of manna
Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Greek, from Hebrew mān
First Known Use: before 12th century
MANNA Defined for English Language Learners
manna
playDefinition of manna for English Language Learners
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: food which according to the Bible was supplied by a miracle to the Israelites after they escaped from Egypt
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: something needed that is received unexpectedly
MANNA Defined for Kids
manna
playDefinition of manna for Students
1 : food which according to the Bible was supplied by a miracle to the Israelites in the wilderness
2 : a usually sudden and unexpected source of pleasure or gain
Medical Dictionary
manna
playMedical Definition of manna
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
Learn More about manna
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See words that rhyme with manna Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for manna Spanish Central: Translation of manna Nglish: Translation of manna for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about manna
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