What does manna mean?
Manna is a literary and biblical noun meaning nourishment or sustenance that is provided freely, unexpectedly, or by divine intervention. Its best-known reference is the food that, according to the Book of Exodus, fell from heaven and sustained the Israelites during their wandering in the wilderness. In contemporary usage, the word is usually figurative: a gift of food, aid, friendship, comfort, or spiritual support may be described as manna. Such expressions can carry a tone of gratitude or relief, though they may also suggest that the provision is exceptionally fortunate or effortless. The word is especially associated with religious writing, inspirational speech, and deliberately elevated prose. It is normally uncountable in modern use, and a plural is uncommon. Manna should not be confused with manner, which refers to a way of behaving or performing an action.
nounFood miraculously provided for the Israelites during their wilderness wandering; by extension, any nourishment or sustenance that is freely or unexpectedly provided, especially in a spiritual or figurative sense.
- Figurative nourishment or sustenance that is freely, unexpectedly, or providentially provided.
- The food miraculously supplied to the Israelites during their wilderness wandering, as recounted in the Bible.
"The hikers treated the picnic supplies as manna from heaven."
"The hikers treated the picnic supplies as manna from heaven."
"In the wilderness, the Israelites gathered manna each morning."
Manna is normally uncountable; the plural mannas is rare and is used only when individual instances of figurative nourishment are treated separately.
"The speeches described the charitable gifts as separate mannas for the struggling community."
In the Book of Exodus, manna was the mysterious food that sustained the Israelites during their wilderness journey, making it one of history’s most famous examples of heaven-sent sustenance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does manna come from?
The English word entered use in the 16th century through Latin manna, from Greek manna, ultimately deriving from Hebrew man, meaning “gift.” The Hebrew form manna was associated with man, “gift,” and with the question man hu, “what is it?”; the suggestion that the word arose as an acronym for that question is a later explanation rather than its established origin. English usage was initially closely tied to the biblical account, before the word broadened to include figurative forms of sustenance.
How manna is actually used
In modern English, the word is chiefly literary, biblical, or figurative, often suggesting nourishment received effortlessly or as a gift from a higher power. It is usually treated as a mass noun.
Easily confused with manna
Manna means nourishment or divine provision, whereas a manner is a way of behaving or doing something.