manor

noun

man·​or ˈma-nər How to pronounce manor (audio)
1
a
: the house or hall of an estate : mansion
b
: a landed estate
2
a
: a unit of English rural territorial organization
especially : such a unit in the Middle Ages consisting of an estate under a lord enjoying a variety of rights over land and tenants including the right to hold court
b
: a tract of land in North America occupied by tenants who pay a fixed rent in money or kind to the proprietor
manorial adjective
Phrases
to the manor born
: born into circumstances of wealth and privilege
was to the manor born but as a politician he acquired some proletarian touchesAlbert Scardino

Examples of manor in a Sentence

the old family manor has 117 rooms
Recent Examples on the Web That’s certainly true of this 1932 creep-fest, about a group of travelers stranded overnight at a foreboding Welsh manor that has more than one secret stashed away in its many upper rooms. Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 Introduced more than a century ago by South Carolina native Marie Willoughby Rogers, the Tabard Inn was inspired by British country manors and advertised as a teahouse in its early years, says David Roubie, president of the Tabard Corporation. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 Blood flows darkly and scenes are lit by flame: a raging fire on the field as Ludvig and his outlaw workers burn the heather; blazing candelabras illuminating an intimidating manor dinner; feeble lamplight beating back the foggy night as Ludvig battles the dirt with his bare hands. Katie Walsh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2024 The land of tartan and tweed, Scotland’s rolling green hills dotted with medieval castles and historic manor homes have long attracted a loyal coterie of Caledonian connoisseurs. Michelle Gross, Robb Report, 7 Dec. 2023 While staying at the manor, Major Walter C. Wingfield, an inventor and soldier who had served in India and then China during the Second Opium War, used the occasion to introduce a new game to his fellow guests. Chip Colwell, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024 Italian marble floors, 8 fireplaces The 8.6-acre French country manor features Italian marble floors, quartzite counter tops, eight fireplaces, six bedrooms and 7.2 baths, according to its listing. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 Jan. 2024 Not surprisingly, then, gardeners on the estates of the wealthy have occasionally been cast as suspects in murder mysteries—though the culprits are often revealed as those to the manor born. Barbara Spindel, WSJ, 22 Dec. 2023 Accordingly, the three guest rooms at the front of the house are simple and spare, like those of a traditional Provençal manor, with pale cream walls, aged brass door handles and crisp white bed linens. Alice Newell-Hanson Stefan Ruiz, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manor.' 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 maner, from Old French manoir, from manoir to sojourn, dwell, from Latin manēre — more at mansion

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of manor was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near manor

Cite this Entry

“Manor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manor. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

manor

noun
man·​or ˈman-ər How to pronounce manor (audio)
: a usually large estate
especially : one granted to a feudal lord
manorial adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on manor

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!