Standard Lemma guide

mana

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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

Pronunciation

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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmɑː.nə/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmæ-/
  • General-American: /ˈmɑ.nə/
  • General-American: /ˈmæ-/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • New-Zealand: /ˈmana/
  • New-Zealand: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɑːnə
  • CMU ARPABET: M AA1 N AH0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Power, prestige; specifically, a form of supernatural energy in Polynesian religion that inheres in things or people.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Magical energy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Qualifier: fantasy roleplaying games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Alternative form of mina (“ancient unit of weight or currency”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Alternative spelling of manna.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Māori mana, ultimately from Proto-Polynesian *mana, from Proto-Oceanic *mana. The use of "mana" for "magical energy" in role-playing games originated from Larry Niven, when he wrote the short story, "Not Long Before the End", in 1969. It was later popularised by his The Magic Goes Away setting.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 吗那 — Translations
  • Chinese Mandarin: 魔力 (mólì) — Translations
  • Chinese Mandarin: 超自然力量 — Translations
  • Japanese: 魔力 (maryoku) — Translations
  • Japanese: マナ (mana) — Translations
  • Polish: mana — Translations
  • Spanish: maná — Translations
  • Swedish: mana — Translations