Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
intj
Used to place emphasis upon something or someone; sometimes, but not always, when actually addressing a man.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A command used to display help pages in Unix and Unix-like operating systems.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
The genus Homo.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
Humankind in general.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: poetic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
The Isle of Man; an island and crown dependency of the United Kingdom in the Irish Sea.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
Abbreviation of Manitoba: a province of Canada.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A surname from Chinese.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
Abbreviation of Manchester: a city in England (especially in football).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A town in Logan County, West Virginia, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A city and department in the Ivory Coast.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A village in Palghar district, Maharashtra, India.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: Maan
Antonyms: none provided
name
A surname
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An adult male human.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An adult male human.
All human males collectively: mankind.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: collective
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An adult male human.
An adult male who belongs to a particular group: an employee, a representative, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An adult male human.
An adult male who has, to an eminent degree, qualities considered masculine, such as strength, integrity, and devotion to family; a mensch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An adult male human.
An adult or adolescent male servant. Anyone from a right-hand man (high-ranking assistant) to a low-ranking servant.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A human, a person regardless of gender or sex, usually an adult.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, formal
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A human, a person regardless of gender or sex, usually an adult.
All humans collectively; mankind, humankind, humanity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: collective, dated, formal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: Man
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A member of the genus Homo, especially of the species Homo sapiens.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: anthropology, archaeology, biology, history, human-sciences, natural-sciences, paleontology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A male person, usually an adult; a (generally adult male) sentient being, whether human, supernatural, elf, alien, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Manliness; the quality or state of being manly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, uncommon, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A husband.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: baron, his lordship, hubby, husband, lord and master, old man
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A male lover; a boyfriend.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: admirer, adorer, baby, beloved, courter, crush, darling, enamorado, flame, follower, leman, loteby, love, love interest, lover, paramour, sparker, sweetheart, truelove, wooer
noun
Used as the last element of a compound.
A male enthusiast or devotee; a male who is very fond of or devoted to a specified kind of thing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Used as the last element of a compound.
A person, usually male, who has duties or skills associated with a specified thing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A person, usually male, who can fulfill one's requirements with regard to a specified matter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A vassal; a subject.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A piece or token used in board games such as backgammon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: man, meeple, piece, token
Antonyms: none provided
noun
One of the player's chances to play, lost when the player's character dies or when certain mistakes are made.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: video-games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: life
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A term of familiar address often implying on the part of the speaker some degree of authority, impatience, or haste.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A term of familiar address usually reserved for other adult males. It works both with ones whose name is known and ones whose name is unknown.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A player on whom another is playing, with the intent of limiting their attacking impact.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A soldier below the rank of a non-commissioned officer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
Topics: government, military, politics, war
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Initialism of Metropolitan Area Network, a large computer network usually spanning a city.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
pron
Used to refer to oneself or one's group: I, we; construed in the third person.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Multicultural-London-English, personal, pronoun, slang
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
pron
You; construed in the third person.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Multicultural-London-English, personal, pronoun, slang
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
pron
Any person, one
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Multicultural-London-English, indefinite, personal, pronoun, slang
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To supply (something) with staff or crew (of either sex).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To take up position in order to operate (something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To brace (oneself), to fortify or steel (oneself) in a manly way. (Compare man up.)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, possibly, reflexive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To wait on, attend to or escort.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To accustom (a raptor or other type of bird) to the presence of people.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
Topics: falconry, hobbies, hunting, lifestyle
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae characterized by superior intelligence, articulate speech, and erect carriage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: homo, human being, human
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hominid
Narrower terms: world, human race, humanity, humankind, human beings, humans, mankind, man, Homo erectus, Homo soloensis, Homo habilis, Homo sapiens, Neandertal man, Neanderthal man, Neandertal, Neanderthal, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, Rhodesian man, Homo rhodesiensis
noun
all of the living human inhabitants of the earth
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: world, human race, humanity, humankind, human beings, humans, mankind
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: group, grouping, homo, man, human being, human
noun
game equipment consisting of an object used in playing certain board games
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: piece
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: game equipment
Narrower terms: black, checker, chequer, chessman, chess piece, tile, white
noun
one of the British Isles in the Irish Sea
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: Isle of Man
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: island
noun
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: adult male
Antonyms: woman
Broader terms: adult, grownup, male, male person
Narrower terms: Black man, white man, yellow man, babu, baboo, bachelor, unmarried man, bey, boy, boyfriend, fellow, beau, swain, young man, ex-boyfriend, bull, bruiser, strapper, Samson, dandy, dude, fop, gallant, sheik, swell, fashion plate, clotheshorse, ejaculator, Esquire, Esq, eunuch, castrate, father figure, father surrogate, father-figure, buster, galoot, geezer, gentleman, grass widower, divorced man, guy, cat, hombre, bozo, Herr, Hooray Henry, housefather, hunk, ex-husband, ex, inamorato, iron man, ironman, ironside, adonis, middle-aged man, Monsieur, old boy, old man, greybeard, graybeard, Methuselah, patriarch, paterfamilias, Peter Pan, ponce, posseman, Senhor, shaver, signor, signior, signore, sir, stiff, stud, he-man, macho-man, Tarzan, widower, widowman, womanizer, womaniser, philanderer, wonder boy, golden boy, young buck, Adam, Cain, Abel, Seth, Ham, Japheth, Shem
noun
a male person who plays a significant role (husband or lover or boyfriend) in the life of a particular woman
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: woman
Broader terms: lover, male, male person
noun
an adult male person who has a manly character (virile and courageous competent)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: male, male person
noun
the generic use of the word to refer to any human being
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul
noun
a male subordinate
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: subordinate, subsidiary, underling, foot soldier
noun
someone who serves in the armed forces; a member of a military force
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: serviceman, military man, military personnel
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: skilled worker, trained worker, skilled workman
Narrower terms: air force officer, commander, artilleryman, cannoneer, gunner, machine gunner, bluejacket, navy man, sailor, sailor boy, commando, ranger, draftee, conscript, inductee, enlisted person, Marine, devil dog, leatherneck, shipboard soldier, military officer, officer, noncombatant, occupier, striper, veteran, vet, ex-serviceman, veteran soldier, volunteer, military volunteer, voluntary
noun
a manservant who acts as a personal attendant to his employer
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: valet, valet de chambre, gentleman, gentleman's gentleman
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: body servant, manservant
verb
provide with workers
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: staff
Narrower terms: crew
verb
take charge of a certain job; occupy a certain work place
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: work, do work
History
From Middle English man, from Old English mann m (“human being, person, man”), from Proto-West Germanic *mann, from Proto-Germanic *mann- (“man”), from Proto-Indo-European *mon- (“human being, man”). Doublet of mann and Manu. Cognates This word has many cognates, in every Germanic language (whether extant or extinct), with similarities in form and meaning. Virtually all the words below mean “man” and “husband”, with some specific cases noted. In Ingvaeonic (the languages closest to English): :* Low German Mann :* North Frisian maan, man, moon, muon :* Saterland Frisian Mon :* Scots man :* West Frisian man :* Yola man In the remainder of West Germanic: :* Alemannic German ma, Maa, Mann, mo, mà, Mànn :* Bavarian Mo, mon, moon, Må, mònn :* Cimbrian man, mann, månn :* Dutch, Limburgish, and Zealandic man :* German and Luxembourgish Mann :* Mòcheno mònn :* Vilamovian maon, mon, mōn :* Yiddish מאַן (man) In East Germanic: :* Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌰 (manna), which meant “man”, “human“ and “person”, but likely also “husband” In North Germanic: :* Danish mand :* Faroese and Icelandic maður, both additionally meaning “human” and “person”, as in Old Norse :* Gutnish and Swedish man :* Norn, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk mann :* Norwegian Nynorsk mainnj :* Old Norse maðr Outside Germanic: : Indo-Iranian: ::* Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬎𐬱 (manuš, “human”) ::* Sanskrit मनुस् (manus, “human”), मनु (manu, “human; humanity; thought”; “thinking; wise; intelligent”) ::* Also Sanskrit म॒नु॒ष्य॑ (manuṣyà, “human; man; huband”, whence English manusya) : Slavic (all of these mean “man” and “husband”, though in some cases the former is no longer part of the modern standard): ::* Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian муж (muž) ::* Bulgarian мъж (mǎž) ::* Czech and Slovak muž ::* Macedonian маж (maž) ::* Polish mąż (“husband”; the meaning “man” is obsolete, akin to English wife) ::* Serbo-Croatian му̑ж, mȗž ::* Slovene mož
Clipping of manual.
From man.
From Old Irish Mana, from Proto-Celtic *moniyos, from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to tower, stand out”).
From Cantonese 文 (man4).
From Cantonese 萬/万 (maan6) or 文 (man4).
Clipping of Manchester.
Various other places.
From Middle English mannen, from Old English mannian, ġemannian (“to man, supply with men, populate, garrison”), from mann (“human being, man”). Cognates * Dutch bemannen (“to man”) * German bemannen (“to man”) * Danish bemande (“to man”) * Swedish bemanna (“to man”) * Icelandic manna (“to supply with men, to man”)
Across languages
1251 source translations are retained for this English entry.
