# man

/ˈmæn/ (US) · /mˈæn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/man
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. adult male

noun · CEFR A1

an adult male human being.

For teachers: an adult male human.

- A tall man in a dark suit was waiting at the bus stop.
- The man approached the podium with a stack of documents, ready to present his findings to the board of directors.

### 2. humankind

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal · Literary

all human beings as a group, including men and women.

For teachers: the human race or species collectively. Often used without an article in this sense.

- The history of man is full of great inventions and discoveries.
- Philosophers have long debated the inherent nature of man and whether our species is naturally inclined toward cooperation or conflict.

Teaching tip: Modern writers often prefer 'humankind' or 'humanity' to be more inclusive of all genders.

### 3. addressing someone

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a word you use when talking to a friend or someone you know, often to show you are surprised or annoyed.

For teachers: a vocative used to address a person, typically male, often expressing familiarity, impatience, or emphasis.

- Look, man, I told you I would be late for dinner.
- I don't know what to tell you, man; we've already tried every possible solution to fix the server error.

### 5. to staff

verb · CEFR B2

to provide the people needed to operate or guard something.

For teachers: to supply with a crew or staff; to station people at a place for work or defense.

- The company needs to man the help desk twenty-four hours a day.
- Volunteers were recruited to man the emergency phone lines during the peak of the storm.

### 6. emphasis

interjection · CEFR B1 · Informal

a word used to show strong feeling, like surprise, excitement, or disappointment.

For teachers: an exclamatory particle used to add emphasis to a statement.

- Man, that was a long meeting.
- Man, I can't believe we actually finished the project ahead of the deadline.

## Examples

- A man is walking down the street.
- The postman delivered a package to the young man at the door.
- The history of man is a story of innovation, conflict, and the endless search for meaning.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.