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

The 1980s reforms were like manna from heaven for him.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2025

Turns out, an intermittent schedule of reinforcement — occasional pellets of counterfeit love dispensed like unpredictable manna — proves most effective to keep us pressing.

From Salon • Aug. 14, 2024

But make no mistake: This abundance of Sondheim was manna in a lean theatrical year.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2023

But as a person who enjoys marveling at the incredible weirdos who get elected in this country, I have to admit that the George Santos saga was like manna from heaven.

From Slate • Nov. 16, 2023

The Daughters passed around a wooden bowl full of something they called manna.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd