Meanings
nounchild of the manse (plural children of the manse)
plural children of the manse
- A diligent and industrious person.
Origin
A figurative use of the literal sense of “one born in a manse (a dwelling for a minister of certain Christian churches)”, attributed to be hard-working and disciplined due to life-long indoctrination with the Protestant work ethic.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
child of the manse. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/child%20of%20the%20manse
MLA
“child of the manse.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/child%20of%20the%20manse. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “child of the manse,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/child%20of%20the%20manse.
Source: child of the manse on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.