manna

American  

[man-uh] / ˈmæn ə /

noun

1. (in the Bible) the food miraculously supplied to the ancient Israelites in the wilderness.

2. any sudden or unexpected help, advantage, or aid to success.

3. divine or spiritual food.

4. the exudation of the ash Fraxinus ornus and related plants: source of mannitol.

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manna British  

/ ˈmænə /

noun

1. Old Testament the miraculous food which sustained the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16:14–36)

2. any spiritual or divine nourishment

3. a windfall; an unexpected gift (esp in the phrase manna from heaven )

4. a sweet substance obtained from various plants, esp from an ash tree, Fraxinus ornus ( manna or flowering ash ) of S Europe, used as a mild laxative

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Etymology

Origin of manna

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English, from Late Latin, from Greek mánna, from Hebrew mān, possibly meaning “gift, favor”

Explanation

Use the noun manna when you talk about the miraculous supply of food that the Bible describes God providing. In Exodus, the desperate Israelites received manna just when they most needed it. While the meaning of manna comes from the Old Testament of the Bible, you can use it to describe something unexpected, especially if it feels like a miracle. You might, for example, say, "The doughnuts my coworker brought in this morning were like manna from heaven." Manna has a Greek root that comes from the Hebrew man, and although it literally means "substance exuded by the tamarisk tree," it's almost always used to refer to God's nourishment in the Bible.

Example Sentences

Her duets with legends such as Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Manna Dey remain timeless classics.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

"Where is the foul? The VAR called him on the penalty, why not on this? It's embarrassing," Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna told DAZN.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

Manna Tree co-founder Ellie Rubenstein said the firm plans to reinvest in the deal alongside L Catterton.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

"There's an option to buy and an obligation to buy if we qualify for the Champions League," Manna added.

From BBC • Dec. 31, 2025

Manna did fall from the Montana sky—at least from writing about living beneath it.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson