Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A style of comic strip or comic book originally developed in Japan, characterized by stylized colorful art and often adult themes.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A cone-shaped bag for the filtration of amalgam.
  • noun Eccles., a case or cover; especially, the case for a processional or other cross when not in use, often of rich stuff or embroidered.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable An artistic style heavily used in, and associated with, Japanese comics, and that has also been adopted by a comparatively low number of comics from other countries.
  • noun countable A comic originating in Japan, regardless of the artistic style.
  • noun rare, countable A comic in manga style, regardless of the country of origin.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Japanese : man, unrestrained, careless (from Early Middle Chinese manh; also the source of Mandarin màn) + ga, sketch, picture (borrowed after the Middle Chinese period from a Chinese source, perhaps Mandarin hu´, from Middle Chinese xɦwaʽj`).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Japanese 漫画 (manga), from  (man-, "random, uncontrolled") +  (-ga, "picture, sketch"). After an 1814 book by Katsushika Hokusai.

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Examples

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  • The common meaning of this word is no longer the cover for a cross, but instead a type of comic book that originates in Japan. They are widely popular in many countries including the US.

    November 13, 2009