Manhattan of the Middle East (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Tel Aviv nickname)
New York City's borough of Manhattan is known for its tall buildings and its business and entertainment industries. Several cities have been dubbed the "Manhattan of the Middle…
Buildings/Housing/Parks
Manhattan Project
Why was it called the "Manhattan Project"? Didn't it take place outside of Manhattan - such as Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Los Alamos, New Mexico? There are several good web sites on…
Manhattan Rubber (bowling ball)
"Manhattan Rubber" bowling balls were popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. The "Manhattan Rubber" was most popular in Chicago.…
Manhattan Sandwich (similar to Denver Sandwich/Western Sandwich)
In the early 1900s, a "Manhattan Sandwich" showed up on restaurant menus across the country. The earliest citations for "Manhattan Sandwich" (1909, 1910) show up in Wisconsin,…
Manhattan Schist
"Manhattan schist" is the rock base that helps Manhattan's buildings stay up and reach toward the sky. Surprisingly, "Manhattan schist" is not listed in the recently…
Manhattan Silver/White (drugs)
Jonathon Green's Cassell Dictionary of Slang (1998) has these entries: Manhattan silver/white n. [1970s+][drugs] an imaginary brand of marijuana, silver/white because its seeds have grown in…
Manhattan Skyline (Tombstoning)
"Tombstoning" is also sometimes called "Manhattan skyline." It is when pieces stand up vertically (like a "tombstone" or the "Manhattan skyline") and they…
Manhattan Solstice (Manhattanhenge or Sensational Sunset)
The "Manhattan Solstice" is when the sun is in perfect alignment with Manhattan's "grid" street pattern. You can stand on any street that runs perfectly east-west and see a…
Manhattan Special Espresso Coffee Soda (from Brooklyn)
Manhattan Special ("since 1895") proudly proclaims on its web site (www.manhattanspecial.com) that it makes "the world's most famous espresso coffee soda." Other sodas…
Manhattan Transfer
The "Manhattan Transfer" was the New Jersey stop where one had to change trains to continue on to Penn Station in New York City. The change is no longer required and the term is…
Manhattan Truffle (Tartufo)
"Manhattan Truffle" has appeared on the dessert menus of a few restaurants. It sure looks and sounds like a "tartufo" to me. Why is this dessert called "Manhattan…
Manhattan Wiring (electronics)
"Manhattan wiring" is an electronics term. The wiring supposedly looks like Manhattan's grid system of streets. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_wiringManhattan wiring (also…
Manhattan’s Other Island (Roosevelt Island)
Roosevelt Island is, along with Manhattan, part of New York County. The Roosevelt Island Development Corporation prepared Roosevelt Island for residential apartments in the 1970s and published…
Manhattanesque
Something (or someone) with the qualities of Manhattan is "Manhattanesque." The term "Manhattanesque" has been cited in print since at least 1853. A similar term is…
Manhattanistan (Manhattan + -istan)
"Manhattanistan" (Manhattan + -istan_ is a nickname that follows the widely used nickname "Londonistan." The suffix comes from the one used for the Central Asian States…
Manhattanite (inhabitant of Manhattan)
A "Manhattanite" is an inhabitant of the borough of Manhattan. "Manhattanite" has been cited in print since at least 1807, well before Manhattan became a borough of New York…
Manhattanization
"Manhattanization" actually comes from San Francisco! In the late 1960s and early 1970s, San Franciscans were afraid that new skyscrapers would block out their veiw of the hills.…
ManhattAnt (Manhattan + ant)
A new breed of ant found in Manhattan in 2012 was dubbed "ManhattAnt" (Manhattan + ant). "New breed of ruffi-ant found in Manhattan" by Annie Karni was printed in the New York…
Manicotti
"Manicotti" (an Italian dish) was first popularized in New York. From the New York Herald Tribune, "Dining Around New York" by Clementine Paddleford, 21 April 1962, pg. 9, col.…
Manitos (“little brothers” or Spanish-speaking New Mexicans)
"Manito" is Spanish, short for "hermanito" ("little brother"). The Spanish-speaking residents of New Mexico were called "manitos" by at least the 1950s.…