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.

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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

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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.)

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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

When the newlyweds found an apartment in downtown Manhattan, Burden used the proceeds of a family trust to buy it, with James as a joint owner.

From Los Angeles Times

Maria Semple, the bestselling author and TV comedy trailblazer, goes to a downtown Manhattan wellness spot for a cold plunge every day.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the late 1940s, most of its employees moved from Manhattan to the leafy suburban campus at Murray Hill.

From The Wall Street Journal

Baseball’s rules were standardized by middle-class Manhattan professionals who “squeezed all the wildness of the folk game into their polished diamond,” giving it a sheen of gentility.

From The Wall Street Journal

Like the bank’s other top executives, Combs, who had also been CEO of Berkshire’s Geico insurance unit, is still settling into his new office on the 47th floor of JPMorgan’s new Manhattan headquarters.

From Barron's