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Definition of manila

manila

/məˈnɪl.ə/
ma · ni · la

Plural:manilas
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manila Lexical Profile

manila Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Made of manila paper or manila hemp; characterized by a strong, durable, and unbleached quality.

Example

"She handed him a thick manila envelope containing the confidential legal documents."


2

Having the light yellowish-brown or buff color typical of unbleached manila paper.

Example

"The office walls were painted a dull manila color that made the room feel slightly dated."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for manila

• noun

1

The capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines, located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon.


2

A strong, durable, light yellowish-brown paper originally made from manila hemp, now often made from unbleached wood pulp.

Example

"The teacher handed out sheets of heavy manila for the students to use in their art projects."


3

A strong fiber derived from the leaves of the abacá plant, native to the Philippines, traditionally used to make ropes, cables, and coarse paper.

Example

"The ship's heavy mooring lines were woven from pure manila to withstand the harsh marine environment."

Synonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

When referring to the capital city of the Philippines, it is capitalized ('Manila'); when referring to the paper, folder, or color, it is typically written in lowercase ('manila').

• Rhymes for manila

Word Origin & Etymology

Named after Manila, the capital of the Philippines (from Tagalog 'Maynila'). The city was a major historical exporter of abacá fiber ('Manila hemp'), which was widely used to manufacture strong paper, ropes, and envelopes.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Manila. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/manila
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