Use manger for the feed container itself, including the one used as a makeshift bed in the nativity story.
Use manger for the feed container itself, including the one used as a makeshift bed in the nativity story.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The manger approved my holiday request. | The manager approved my holiday request. |
| The calf drank from the manger. | The calf ate from the manger. |
| They bought a manger for the newborn. | They bought a crib for the newborn. |
Use manger in this sense only for older or technical descriptions of a ship's bow fittings.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The sailor fed the horses from the ship's manger. | The sailor inspected the ship's manger near the hawseholes. |
| The anchor chain ran through the manager. | The anchor chain ran through the manger. |
| The manger was the hole where the cable passed through the hull. | The hawsehole was the hole where the cable passed through the hull. |
Use manger for an animal feed trough or for the nativity trough used as a crib, and reserve the nautical sense for clearly maritime contexts.
Manager is often written by mistake, while manger names a feeding trough, not a supervisor or an ordinary baby bed.
From Middle English and Anglo-French forms related to Old French mangeoire, a feeding place, from mangier meaning “to eat”, ultimately from Latin manducare, “to chew or eat”.
What is a manger?
A manger is a low open trough or box that holds feed for animals such as horses, cattle, and donkeys.
Why is manger used in the Christmas story?
The story says Jesus was laid in a manger, meaning an animal feeding trough used as a humble makeshift crib.
Is a manger the same as a crib?
Not usually. A manger is an animal feed trough, though the nativity trough is often called a crib because it held the infant Jesus.
How is manger pronounced?
Manger is pronounced /ˈmeɪndʒər/, rhyming roughly with danger.
What is the difference between manger and manager?
Manger is a feeding trough. Manager is a person who supervises people, work, or a business.
Where does manger come from?
Manger comes through French forms connected with eating, ultimately from Latin manducare, meaning “to chew or eat”.
Can manger be a nautical term?
Yes. In older technical use, a manger is a compartment near a ship’s hawseholes that catches water from the anchor cable.
Is dog in the manger a separate meaning of manger?
No. Dog in the manger is an idiom built from the feed-trough sense, not a separate meaning of the bare word.