name
Common
Manhattan
man-HATN
Manhattan (name) means a borough of New York City built mainly on Manhattan Island. Example: “They took the subway into Manhattan to see a Broadway show.”
name
1
A borough of New York City built mainly on Manhattan Island.
"They took the subway into Manhattan to see a Broadway show."
noun
1
A cocktail made from whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters.
"Manhattan. Dry Manhattan on the rocks."
— Paul Schrader, American Gigolo (1980)
"He ordered a Manhattan, stirred, with a cherry on top."
How to use Manhattan
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the famous New York City borough or the classic whiskey cocktail named after it.
Common pairings
a dry Manhattan
downtown Manhattan
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Word forms
- Plural
- Manhattans
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They took the subway into _____ to see a Broadway show.
Etymology
From an Algonquian place name recorded by Dutch settlers, likely meaning something like "the place for gathering wood to make bows."
Frequently asked questions
What does “Manhattan” mean?
The word “Manhattan” means a borough of New York City built mainly on Manhattan Island. In plain terms, either the famous New York City borough or the classic whiskey cocktail named after it.
How do you pronounce “Manhattan”?
“Manhattan” is pronounced man-HATN (/mænˈhætn̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “Manhattan” in a sentence?
Here is “Manhattan” used in a sentence: “They took the subway into Manhattan to see a Broadway show.”
What part of speech is “Manhattan”?
Depending on how it is used, “Manhattan” can be a name and a noun.
Where does the word “Manhattan” come from?
The word “Manhattan” comes from Dutch. From an Algonquian place name recorded by Dutch settlers, likely meaning something like "the place for gathering wood to make bows.".
Is “Manhattan” a common word?
“Manhattan” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Manhattan” have?
“Manhattan” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a borough of New York City built mainly on Manhattan Island.
What is the difference between Manhattan the place and a Manhattan cocktail?
Manhattan can refer to a borough of New York City built mainly on Manhattan Island, or to a cocktail made from whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. The drink takes its name from the place, so both are capitalized.
What is in a Manhattan cocktail?
A Manhattan is made from whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. It is one of the classic whiskey-based cocktails.
Why is 'Manhattan' always capitalized?
Manhattan is a proper noun naming a specific New York City borough, so it is always written with a capital M. The cocktail keeps the capital because it is named after the place.
Is Manhattan an island or a borough?
Manhattan is a borough of New York City that is built mainly on Manhattan Island. The borough and the island share a name, but because the borough is built only 'mainly' on the island, the two are not exactly the same area.
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