Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A supernatural force believed to dwell in a person or sacred object.
- noun Power; authority.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The Chinese characters as used by the Japanese.
- noun Power in general; authority; influence.
- noun Magical or supernatural power.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A form of supernatural energy in
Polynesian religion thatinheres in things or people. - noun gaming
Magical power. - noun Alternative spelling of
manna .
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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In Maori terms, these ideas may be encapsulated by the term mana whenua: authority of, and over, traditional lands.
unknown title 2009
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Gauguin definitely understood "mana" - the Tahitian word for the islands' special spiritual vibe.
The Guardian World News Laura Barnett 2010
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Gauguin definitely understood "mana" – the Tahitian word for the islands' special spiritual vibe.
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Some of the enemies drained or burned mana, which Sna and Smokey really didn't enjoy, but Maglok pushed on, saying: "Your mana is of no consequence to me!"
Crossfire is only level 64 nathreee 2008
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This guy, and the idiot army who champion his every move as it’s mana from the heavens, deserve to fail.
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Her mana was her own mana and all it can do, was give her its blessing.
Arcana Magi - c.12: Danica Leandros, Sentinel of Seiryuu 2010
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Jean-Michel Schwartz held that the pukao were a sign of knowledge, and the seat of the mystical force known as mana; all island traditions agree that it was the head that bore mana.3
The Eight Wonder of the World – Easter Island | Impact Lab 2007
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Marett sought for an even earlier and more primitive stage, such as was indicated by the idea of mana, i.e., an impersonal supernatural power envisaged by certain savage peoples, with which con - temporary anthropologists had become much con - cerned.
ORIGINS OF RELIGION S. G. F. BRANDON 1968
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Alaila, ma ka mana o Waka, kona kupunawahine, ua hikiwawe loa, ua paa ka hale.
The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai Martha Warren Beckwith 1915
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O Kahauokapaka nae, oia ke Alii nona na okana elua, o Koolauloa a me Koolaupoko, a ia ia ka mana nui maluna o kela mau okana.
The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai Martha Warren Beckwith 1915
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In Hawai’ian, the concept of mana implies that power is not some untestable divine essence we have because of where we were born or who our parents were, but must be given to us based on our words and actions by the community around us.
The Mysterious Mana of Speaking | JSTOR Daily Chi Luu 2018
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Different sources have somewhat fuzzily translated mana as “power,” such as divine, miraculous or supernatural power, authority, prestige, effectiveness, truth, or even luck, in which a person with mana can visit consequences onto someone who has wronged them, with perhaps a moral element to this power.
The Mysterious Mana of Speaking | JSTOR Daily Chi Luu 2018
whichbe commented on the word mana
The concept of an impersonal force or quality that resides in people, animals, and inanimate objects. The concept is common to many Oceanic languages, including Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian. In anthropological discourse, mana as a generalized concept has attained a significant amount of interest, often understood as a precursor to formal religion. It has commonly been interpreted as "the stuff of which magic is formed", as well as the substance of which souls are made. (Wikipedia)
May 23, 2008