noun
mana
MAH-nuh
noun
1
In Polynesian belief, a spiritual power or prestige said to reside in people, objects, or places.
"Elders spoke of the mountain's mana with quiet respect."
2
In fantasy fiction and games, a supply of magical energy that a character draws on to cast spells.
"The wizard's mana was almost drained after the third spell."
"Players regenerate mana slowly while resting."
How to Use Mana
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a real spiritual/cultural concept of power and prestige (Polynesian) or a game mechanic representing magical energy.
Common pairings
mana pool
restore mana
out of mana
Word Forms
manas plural
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Elders spoke of the mountain's _____ with quiet respect.
Etymology
Borrowed from Maori mana, from a much older Polynesian root with the same meaning. Its now-common gaming sense ("magic points") was popularized by science-fiction writer Larry Niven in 1969 and later spread through tabletop and video games.