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Manhattan

American  
[man-hat-n, muhn-] / mænˈhæt n, mən- /

noun

  1. Also called Manhattan Island.  an island in New York City surrounded by the Hudson, East, and Harlem rivers. 13½ miles (22 km) long; 2½ miles (4 km) greatest width; 22¼ sq. mi. (58 sq. km).

  2. a borough of New York City approximately coextensive with Manhattan Island: chief business district of the city.

  3. a city in NE Kansas, on the Kansas River.

  4. (often lowercase) a cocktail made of whiskey and sweet vermouth, usually with a dash of bitters and a maraschino cherry.


Manhattan British  
/ mən-, mænˈhætən /

noun

  1. an island at the N end of New York Bay, between the Hudson, East, and Harlem Rivers: administratively (with adjacent islets) a borough of New York City; a major financial, commercial, and cultural centre. Pop: 1 537 195 (2000). Area: 47 sq km (22 sq miles)

  2. a mixed drink consisting of four parts whisky, one part vermouth, and a dash of bitters

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Manhattan Cultural  
  1. Island that constitutes one of the five boroughs that make up New York City. (See also Bowery, Broadway (see also Broadway), Central Park, Harlem, Park Avenue, Times Square, and World Trade Center.)


Discover More

Because of its noise and congestion, some have viewed it as unlivable, giving rise to the phrase “It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.” In the 1990s, it experienced prosperity and a decline in crime rates.

A center of the art world (see Greenwich Village).

Center of the country's financial industry (see Wall Street), communications industry, including advertising and television (see Madison Avenue), and fashion industry (see Fifth Avenue).

The September 11 attacks left a physical and emotional scar on Manhattan.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In 2000, their business was sold to Chase Manhattan for billions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Washington Square Park in Manhattan's Greenwich Village often hosts large crowds for snow-day activities and snowball fights, including another one just weeks ago during the city's last big storm.

From BBC

I remember being on the radio in Houston with a guy named Manhattan, and he asked me what I wanted to be.

From Los Angeles Times

Silverstein blends in with the cool kids of the fashion world, often photographed at swanky Manhattan dinners wearing a silky dress, leather and high heels.

From The Wall Street Journal

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan typically require cooperating witnesses to plead guilty to all the charges against them, corroborate the government’s allegations and admit to any other crimes they committed during their lifetime.

From The Wall Street Journal