manna

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
manna/ˈmanə/

▶noun

• 1 (in the Bible) the substance miraculously supplied as food to the Israelites in the wilderness (Exod. 16).

• 2 an unexpected benefit.

• 3 (in Christian contexts) spiritual nourishment, especially the Eucharist.

• 4 a sweet gum obtained from the manna ash or a similar plant, used as a mild laxative.

– origin OE, via late L. and Gk from Aramaic mannā, from Heb. mān, corresp. to Arab. mann, denoting an exudation of a tamarisk.