English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

Manchurian

adj

Relating to Manchuria.

Mancini

name

An Italian surname.

Mancuso

name

An Italian surname.

Manda

name

A shortened, informal form of the female given name Amanda.

mandala

noun

A symbolic circular design representing the universe, used in Hindu and Buddhist traditions as an aid to meditation.

Mandalay

name

A major city and region in central Myanmar (Burma), historically an important royal capital.

mandarin

name

The official language of China and Taiwan, the most widely spoken variety of Chinese.

mandate

noun

An official order, command, or authorization to carry out a particular action.

mandated

adj

Officially required or ordered.

mandatory

adj

Required by law, rule, or authority; compulsory.

Mandel

name

A surname of German, Dutch, or Yiddish origin, often meaning "almond."

Mandela

name

A Xhosa surname, most famously borne by South African leader Nelson Mandela.

mandi

noun

A traditional Southeast Asian method of bathing by scooping water from a large container and pouring it over the body.

mandible

noun

The lower jawbone in humans and other vertebrates.

mandolin

noun

A small stringed instrument with a rounded or flat back and paired strings, played with a pick.

mandrake

noun

A plant (genus Mandragora) with a forked root that can resemble a human figure, long associated with magic and folklore.

Mandy

name

An informal short form of the female given name Amanda, especially common in the UK during the 1960s and 1970s.

mane

noun

The long, thick hair growing along the neck of an animal such as a horse or lion.

manet

name

Édouard Manet, the 19th-century French painter regarded as a key bridge between Realism and Impressionism.

maneuver

noun

A planned, often skillful movement of troops, vehicles, or a body, especially one requiring precision.

maneuvering

noun

The act of skillfully moving something into position, or of scheming to gain advantage.

Manfred

name

A male given name and surname of German origin.

mang

prep

An older or dialectal word meaning "among" or "amid."

manga

noun

A comic or graphic novel originating in Japan.

mangal

noun

A swampy coastal ecosystem dominated by mangrove trees.

manganese

noun

A hard, brittle metallic element (symbol Mn, atomic number 25) used mainly to strengthen steel alloys.

mange

noun

A skin disease in mammals caused by burrowing mites, causing itching and hair loss.

manger

noun

An open trough that holds feed for horses or cattle.

mangle

verb

To damage something badly by crushing, tearing, or cutting it out of shape.

mangled

adj

Badly crushed, torn, or twisted out of shape.

mango

noun

A tropical tree, or its sweet, juicy orange-fleshed fruit.

mangrove

noun

A tropical tree or shrub that grows in salty coastal shallows, supported by tangled above-ground roots.

mangy

adj

Suffering from mange, or looking as scruffy and patchy as an animal with it.

Manhattan

name

A borough of New York City built mainly on Manhattan Island.

manhole

noun

A round covered opening in the ground giving access to sewers or underground utility lines.

manhood

noun

The condition of being an adult man, as opposed to a boy.

manhunt

noun

An organized search for a fugitive or dangerous suspect.

Mani

name

A given name used across several cultures, including as a short form of Sanskrit-derived names meaning "jewel."

mania

noun

A period of abnormally high energy, excitement, or irritable mood, as seen in bipolar disorder.

maniacal

adj

Wildly frenzied or behaving like a madman.

maniacally

adv

In a wild, frenzied, or crazed manner.

manic

adj

Showing the abnormally high energy, excitement, or agitation typical of mania.

manicure

noun

A cosmetic treatment that cleans, shapes, and polishes the fingernails.

manicurist

noun

A person whose job is giving manicures.

manifest

adj

Clear and obvious to see or understand.

manifestation

noun

A visible sign or expression of something that is otherwise abstract or hidden.

manifesto

noun

A public statement laying out a group's beliefs, goals, or plans, especially a political one.

manifold

adj

Existing in many different forms or kinds.

Manila

name

The capital city of the Philippines.

Manilow

name

A surname, most familiar from the singer Barry Manilow.

Manion

name

A surname.

manipulate

verb

To handle, adjust, or operate something skillfully with the hands.

manipulation

noun

The act of skillfully handling or operating something.

manipulative

adj

Inclined to control or influence others unfairly for personal gain.

Manitoba

name

A province in western Canada, whose capital is Winnipeg.

manju

noun

A traditional Japanese confection with a soft outer dough and a sweet filling, often red bean paste.

mankind

noun

The human race as a whole.

Manley

name

A surname, and the name of several small towns and villages in England and the United States.

manliness

noun

The quality of having traits stereotypically associated with being a man, such as strength or courage.

manly

adj

Having qualities traditionally seen as typical of men, such as strength, courage, or toughness.

mann

name

A surname of German or Punjabi origin.

manna

noun

In the Bible, the food that miraculously appeared to feed the Israelites in the desert.

manned

adj

Operated or crewed by a human being, rather than automated.

mannequin

noun

A life-size dummy shaped like a human body, used to fit or display clothing.

manner

noun

The way something is done or happens.

mannered

adj

Having a particular, often exaggerated or artificial, style of behaving or performing.

manners

noun

Socially accepted ways of behaving politely, especially toward others.

Manning

name

An English surname, borne by the American football Manning family, including Peyton and Eli Manning.

Mannion

name

An Irish surname, an anglicized form of a Gaelic clan name.

Mannix

name

An Irish surname, also known from the title character of the American television series "Mannix."

manny

noun

A male nanny hired to look after children.

mano

noun

A smooth, hand-held grinding stone used with a flat stone base (a metate) to crush corn or other grain.

manoeuvre

noun

A planned, often careful movement or action, especially one requiring skill.

Manohar

name

A masculine given name of Sanskrit origin meaning "captivating" or "attractive to the mind."

Manolis

name

A Greek masculine given name, a form of Emmanuel.

manor

noun

A large landed estate, or the main house on it.

manpower

noun

The number of workers available to do a job.

mans

noun

Synonym of man.

manservant

noun

A male domestic servant.

mansion

noun

A very large, luxurious house.

manslaughter

noun

The unlawful killing of a person without the deliberate intent required for murder, for example through negligence or in the heat of the moment.

Manson

name

An English surname meaning "son of the man" or "servant," notoriously associated with cult leader Charles Manson.

Mansour

name

A masculine given name and surname of Arabic origin, meaning "victorious" or "aided by God."

Manta

noun

A large ray fish with wide, wing-like fins, also called a manta ray.

Mantel

noun

The shelf above a fireplace.

mantelpiece

noun

The shelf and surrounding frame fixed above a fireplace.

manticore

noun

A legendary monster with the body of a lion, a human-like face, and a scorpion's tail, said to devour people.

mantis

noun

A large insect that captures prey with its powerful front legs, often held folded as if in prayer.

mantle

verb

To cover, cloak, or conceal something.

mantra

noun

A word or phrase repeated during meditation or prayer to aid focus.

Mantua

noun

A loose, elegant gown worn by women in 17th- and 18th-century Europe.

manu

noun

(informal, chiefly New Zealand/Pacific) A dive in which the diver enters the water lower-back first to create a big splash.

manual

noun

A book giving instructions on how to use or operate something.

manually

adv

By hand, or without the help of a machine or automatic process.

Manuel

name

A male given name, the Spanish and Portuguese form of "Emmanuel."

Manuela

name

A feminine given name, the Spanish and Portuguese form of Emmanuela, meaning "God is with us."

manufacture

noun

The process of making goods, typically on a large scale using machinery.

manufactured

adj

Produced by machines or industry rather than occurring naturally.

manufacturer

noun

A person or company that makes goods, usually on a large scale.

manufacturing

noun

The business or process of turning raw materials into finished products, usually at scale.

manure

noun

Animal dung used to fertilize soil.

manuscript

noun

A document written by hand, or, more commonly today, an author's original text submitted before it is published.

many

det

A large but unspecified number of (used with countable nouns).

Manya

name

A feminine given name, a diminutive form used in Slavic languages related to Maria.

mao

noun

A card game (named after Mao Zedong) in which the rules are deliberately kept secret from new players, who must work them out by observation and penalty.

Maori

noun

A member of the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand.

map

noun

A drawing or diagram showing the layout of an area, such as roads, borders, or landmarks.

maple

noun

A tree known for its lobed leaves and winged seed pods, many species of which turn brilliant colors in autumn.

Maples

name

An English surname, originally denoting someone who lived near maple trees.

mapped

adjective

Recorded or shown on a map, or (in computing/design) linked to a corresponding value or surface.

mapping

noun

The activity of creating maps.

maquis

noun

Thick, low scrubland typical of Mediterranean coastlines.

mar

verb

To spoil or damage something, often leaving a lasting flaw.

mara

noun

In Germanic and Scandinavian folklore, a demon or spirit believed to sit on a sleeper's chest and cause nightmares.

Maradona

name

A surname borne by Diego Maradona, the Argentine footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport's history.

marais

noun

A marsh or swampy area, especially one that floods periodically.

Marat

name

A surname borne by Jean-Paul Marat, a radical journalist and politician of the French Revolution; also a masculine given name in Central Asia.

marathon

noun

A long-distance foot race of just over 26 miles (42.195 km).

marauder

noun

A person who roams an area raiding and looting.

marauding

adjective

Roaming about in order to raid, loot, or attack.

Marbella

name

A resort city on the southern coast of Spain, known for luxury tourism.

marble

noun

A hard, crystalline rock, often streaked with color, prized for sculpture and building.

marbles

noun

A children's game played by flicking small glass or stone balls, or the balls themselves.

Marburg

name

A university town in Germany, after which the Marburg virus is named.

marc

noun

The leftover pulp, skins, and seeds after grapes or other fruit have been pressed for juice.

Marceau

name

A French surname, borne notably by mime artist Marcel Marceau.

marcel

noun

A hairstyle of deep, uniform waves created with a heated curling iron, popular in the early 20th century.

marceline

noun

A thin silk fabric used for linings etc. in hats and ladies' dresses.

Marcella

noun

A sturdy, ribbed cotton fabric traditionally used for formal shirt fronts and waistcoats.

Marcelle

name

A feminine given name, the French feminine form of Marcel.

Marcellus

name

A masculine given name of Latin origin, a diminutive of Marcus, borne by several ancient Roman figures.

march

noun

A steady, rhythmic style of walking used especially by soldiers and marching bands.

Marchand

name

A French surname meaning "merchant."

Marches

noun

Border regions historically set up to guard a frontier, especially between England and Wales or England and Scotland.

marchese

noun

The Italian title equivalent to marquis, ranking between a count and a duke.

Marchetti

name

An Italian surname derived from the given name Marco.

marching

noun

The act of walking with steady, rhythmic steps, especially in formation.

marchioness

noun

The wife of a marquess, or a woman who holds that rank in her own right.

Marci

name

A feminine given name, a variant spelling of "Marcy" or "Marcie."

Marcia

name

A female given name derived from Latin, related to the god Mars.

Marciano

name

An Italian surname, borne notably by undefeated heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano.

Marcie

name

A feminine given name, a variant of "Marcy," derived from Marcia.

Marco

name

A male given name common in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, equivalent to the English "Mark."

Marconi

verb

To send a message by radio.

Marcos

name

A male given name, the Spanish and Portuguese equivalent of Mark.

Marcus

name

A male given name of Latin origin.

Marcy

name

A female given name, also used as a surname.

Mardi

name

A locality on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.

mardle

noun

A friendly chat or bit of gossip, especially in East Anglian dialect.

mare

noun

An adult female horse.