Mana
/ˈmɑː.nə/noun
A supernatural power, authority, or efficacy believed to reside in people, objects, places, or actions.
Did you know?In many Polynesian societies, mana could be increased or diminished through ancestry, ritual conduct, victories, sacred objects, and contact with powerful people.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Oceanic, c. 1500 BCE
Proto-Oceanic
*mana
“Supernatural power, efficacy, or potency; a reconstructed ancestral form rather than a directly recorded word.”
Early Polynesian
Proto-Polynesian
*mana
“Spiritual authority or effective power associated with persons, objects, and actions.”
18th Century
Tahitian
mana
“Power or supernatural influence, recorded by European visitors in Polynesian contexts.”
19th Century
Māori
mana
“Prestige, authority, spiritual power, and influence; a person’s mana could rise or fall.”
19th Century
English
mana
“A supernatural force or power, adopted from Polynesian usage by anthropologists and travelers.”
Modern English
English
mana
“Magical or spiritual power; in fantasy and games, a resource used to cast spells.”