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manna

manna

noun MAHN-nah Rare
Arts & Culture Religion

Origin: From Hebrew man (what is it?), via Greek and Latin; the miraculous food of the Old Testament.

Also means

godsend

Usage Note

Manna retains its biblical sense (the food God provided to the Israelites) but is far more frequent in the figurative phrase manna dal cielo ('manna from heaven') — meaning an unexpected blessing or windfall. It is feminine and invariable in form. Used ironically, aspettare la manna dal cielo means to wait for a miracle that won't come.

Examples

"Quell'offerta di lavoro è stata una manna dal cielo."

Natural Translation

That job offer was a godsend.

Literal Translation

That offer of work has-been a manna from the sky.

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