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manna

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word manna

manna1 flake of frankincense

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 47 Scribonius Largus
Borrowed from
Ancient Greek μάννα
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek μάννα
Etymology tree of manna1
inherited borrowed derived
Ancient Greek μάννα (mánna)
Latin manna

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈman.na][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈman.na][1]

Forms

manna f (genitive mannae); first declension[2]

Etymology

The word for a grain of frankincense is borrowed from Ancient Greek μάννα (mánna, “frankincense powder”),[2][3][4] which Beekes considers probably a loan, possibly from a Pre-Greek source.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the physician Scribonius Largus, who prescribes an ounce of manna turis, frankincense in grains.[6][7]

Semantic evolution

The word meant the small flakes or grains of frankincense, or a single grain;[2][3] Pliny the Elder says that the crumbs of incense shaken off by friction are called manna.[6] It was used in medicine and veterinary medicine,[6] and Vegetius speaks of a manna of saffron.[3][4]

In British medieval Latin it named the gum of aromatic plants, frankincense or balsam, and a sweet substance said to form from dew on certain plants, used as a purgative.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 47 AD – Scribonius Largus prescribes manna of frankincense.[6][7]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder explains the word as crumbs of incense.[6][2][7]
  • c. 400 AD – Vegetius speaks of a manna of saffron.[3][4][7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Flakes or grains of frankincense; a single flake.[2][3]
  2. A grain of another hardened plant juice, such as saffron.[3][4]
  3. (Medieval Latin) An aromatic gum, frankincense or balsam; a sweet exudation used as a purgative.[8]

manna2 manna (biblical food)

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
160–220 Tertullian
Borrowed from
Ancient Greek μάννα
Ultimate origin
Biblical Hebrew מן
Etymology tree of manna2
inherited borrowed derived
Ancient Greek μάννα (mánna)
Latin manna

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈman.na][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈman.na][1]

Forms

manna n or f (genitive manna or mannae); indeclinable, variously declined, first declension[1]

Etymology

The word for the food of the Israelites is borrowed from Ancient Greek μάννα (mánna, “manna”), the Greek of the Septuagint,[5][1][9] from Biblical Hebrew מן (mān, “manna”).[5][1][9] Latin also used the Hebrew form itself as man and manhu.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tertullian is the first author cited for it, writing that manna was food for the people.[3][4][10][7]

Semantic evolution

The Bible translations use it as an indeclinable neuter (the Vulgate also has man and manhu, explained as “what is this?”),[3][4] while Jerome and Sulpicius Severus decline it as a feminine of the first declension.[3][4][10] Figuratively it meant food for the soul or divine support, as in manna absconditum “the hidden manna” of the Apocalypse.[3]

In medieval Latin it also named the fragrant matter said to flow from the remains of saints.[11][7] The Late Latin word passed into Old English and on to English manna;[9] the sense of spiritual nourishment is recorded in English from the late 14th century.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian writes of the manna that fed the people.[3][4][7]
  • after 220 AD – The Old Latin Bible uses it as a neuter noun.[6][7]
  • c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome declines it as a feminine, mannae cibus.[3][4][7]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate has manhu and man in Exodus and manna absconditum in the Apocalypse.[3][7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Late Latin) manna, the food of the Israelites in the wilderness.[3][4][12]
  2. (Ecclesiastical Latin, figurative) Food for the soul, divine support.[3]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A fragrant substance said to come from the remains of saints.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  5. ^ a b c Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d e f Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  9. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  11. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  12. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Manna.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/manna. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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