manna
UK[ˈmænə]US[ˈmænə]
n
(in the Bible) the food that God provided for the Israelites during their journey in the desert.
n
Something that is unexpectedly and beneficially provided, especially spiritual nourishment or a windfall.
Etymology
The word 'manna' is a direct loan into English, preserving its Biblical and miraculous connotations. Its journey begins in Hebrew, where 'mān' was likely an expression of wonder ("what is it?") used by the Israelites upon first encountering the mysterious sustenance. Through Greek and Latin translations of the Scriptures, the term was adopted into European languages. Over time, its meaning expanded from the specific miraculous food to symbolize any unexpected and welcome provision, especially of spiritual or intellectual sustenance, thus carrying its ancient sense of a divine gift into modern metaphorical use.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword. It entered English from Latin 'manna', which came from Greek 'manna', ultimately from Hebrew 'mān', meaning "what is it?"—a question reflecting its mysterious nature.
Examples
The refugees saw the airdropped supplies as manna from heaven.
For the struggling artist, the grant was pure manna.
His wise words were manna for her soul.