Man vs. Info — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 29, 2023
"Man" typically refers to an adult male human being. "Info" is a short form for "information," which means knowledge or details about something.
Difference Between Man and Info
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Man and Info serve entirely different functions in the English language. While Man specifically denotes an adult male human being, distinguishing him from women and children, Info is a colloquial abbreviation for "information." It represents facts, knowledge, or data about a particular subject.
Historically, the term Man has been used broadly to indicate the human race, encompassing both genders. It carries biological, societal, and cultural significance. In contrast, Info is a modern abbreviation, reflecting the pace of today's information-driven society, where quick access and exchange of information are pivotal.
From a linguistic standpoint, Man is a noun with ancient origins, present in many Indo-European languages, while Info represents the trend of clipping or shortening words for convenience, especially in informal communication like texting and online chats.
Another distinction lies in their usage contexts. Man has various applications, from biology to societal roles to literature. You might find it in anthropological studies, literature, or everyday conversations about individuals. On the other hand, Info is predominantly used in contexts where brevity is preferred, such as in business communication, news, or technology discussions.
It's essential to use Man and Info appropriately to convey the intended meaning. Misusing Man could lead to gender-specific misunderstandings, especially in today's gender-sensitive world. Conversely, overusing Info in formal contexts might be perceived as too casual or unprofessional.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
An adult male human.
Short for "information."
Linguistic Use
Noun.
Abbreviation.
Origin
Ancient Indo-European roots.
Modern abbreviation of "information."
Context
Biology, culture, literature.
Business, news, technology.
Connotation
Refers to gender, species, or humanity at large.
Refers to details, facts, or data about something.
Compare with Definitions
Man
An adult male person.
The man walked his dog in the park.
Info
Data or input.
We're processing all the info from the surveys.
Man
A worker or employee.
He's the right man for the job.
Info
Facts or details about a subject.
I need more info on that topic.
Man
A husband or boyfriend.
She introduced her man to her parents.
Info
News or intelligence.
Have you heard the latest info about the merger?
Man
A piece used in a board game.
I moved my man to the next square.
Info
A briefing or update.
Please give me a quick info session before the meeting.
Man
A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent).
Info
Knowledge acquired through experience or study.
The lecture provided a lot of valuable info.
Man
An adult male human.
Info
Information
The essential info that every seasoned traveller knows
Man
A human regardless of sex or age; a person.
Info
Information.
Man
A human or an adult male human belonging to a specific occupation, group, nationality, or other category. Often used in combination
A milkman.
A congressman.
A freeman.
Info
(informal) information.
Man
The human race; mankind
Man's quest for peace.
Info
A message received and understood
Man
A male human endowed with qualities, such as strength, considered characteristic of manhood.
Man
A husband.
Man
A male lover or sweetheart.
Man
Workers.
Man
Enlisted personnel of the armed forces
Officers and men.
Man
A male representative, as of a country or company
Our man in Tokyo.
Man
A male servant or subordinate.
Man
(Informal) Used as a familiar form of address for a man
See here, my good man!.
Man
One who swore allegiance to a lord in the Middle Ages; a vassal.
Man
(Games) Any of the pieces used in a board game, such as chess or checkers.
Man
(Nautical) A ship. Often used in combination
A merchantman.
A man-of-war.
Man
Often Man(Slang) A person or group felt to be in a position of power or authority. Used with the
"Their writing mainly concerns the street life—the pimp, the junky, the forces of drug addiction, exploitation at the hands of 'the man'" (Black World).
Man
To supply with men, as for defense or service
Man a ship.
Man
To take stations at, as to defend or operate
Manned the guns.
Man
To fortify or brace
Manned himself for the battle ahead.
Man
Used as an expletive to indicate intense feeling
Man! That was close.
Man
An adult male human.
The show is especially popular with middle-aged men.
Man
(collective) All human males collectively: mankind.
Man
A human, a person regardless of gender, usually an adult. See usage notes.
Every man for himself
Man
(collective) All humans collectively: mankind, humankind, humanity. Sometimes capitalized as Man.
Man
A member of the genus Homo, especially of the species Homo sapiens.
Man
A male person, usually an adult; a (generally adult male) sentient being, whether human, supernatural, elf, alien, etc.
Man
An adult male who has, to an eminent degree, qualities considered masculine, such as strength, integrity, and devotion to family; a mensch.
Man
Manliness; the quality or state of being manly.
Man
A husband.
Man
A male lover; a boyfriend.
Man
A male enthusiast or devotee; a male who is very fond of or devoted to a specified kind of thing. Used as the last element of a compound.
Some people prefer apple pie, but me, I’m a cherry pie man.
Man
A person, usually male, who has duties or skills associated with a specified thing. Used as the last element of a compound.
I wanted to be a guitar man on a road tour, but instead I’m a flag man on a road crew.
Man
A person, usually male, who can fulfill one's requirements with regard to a specified matter.
Man
A male who belongs to a particular group: an employee, a student or alumnus, a representative, etc.
Man
An adult male servant.
Man
(historical) A vassal; a subject.
All the king's men
Man
A piece or token used in board games such as chess.
Man
(sports) A player on whom another is playing, with the intent of limiting their attacking impact.
Man
: I, we; construed in the third person.
Man
Any person, one
Man
(transitive) To supply (something) with staff or crew (of either sex).
The ship was manned with a small crew.
Man
(transitive) To take up position in order to operate (something).
Man the machine guns!
Man
To brace (oneself), to fortify or steel (oneself) in a manly way. Compare man up.
Man
To wait on, attend to or escort.
Man
To accustom (a raptor or other type of bird) to the presence of people.
Man
A human being; - opposed to beast.
These men went about wide, and man found they none,But fair country, and wild beast many [a] one.
The king is but a man, as I am; the violet smells to him as it doth to me.
'Tain't a fit night out for man nor beast!
Man
An adult male person; a grown-up male person, as distinguished from a woman or a child.
When I became a man, I put away childish things.
Ceneus, a woman once, and once a man.
Man
The human race; mankind.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion.
The proper study of mankind is man.
Man
The male portion of the human race.
Woman has, in general, much stronger propensity than man to the discharge of parental duties.
Man
One possessing in a high degree the distinctive qualities of manhood; one having manly excellence of any kind.
This was the noblest Roman of them all . . . the elementsSo mixed in him that Nature might stand upAnd say to all the world "This was a man!"
Man
An adult male servant; also, a vassal; a subject.
Like master, like man.
The vassal, or tenant, kneeling, ungirt, uncovered, and holding up his hands between those of his lord, professed that he did become his man from that day forth, of life, limb, and earthly honor.
Man
A term of familiar address at one time implying on the part of the speaker some degree of authority, impatience, or haste; as, Come, man, we 've no time to lose! In the latter half of the 20th century it became used in a broader sense as simply a familiar and informal form of address, but is not used in business or formal situations; as, hey, man! You want to go to a movie tonight?.
Man
A married man; a husband; - correlative to wife.
I pronounce that they are man and wife.
Every wife ought to answer for her man.
Man
One, or any one, indefinitely; - a modified survival of the Saxon use of man, or mon, as an indefinite pronoun.
A man can not make him laugh.
A man would expect to find some antiquities; but all they have to show of this nature is an old rostrum of a Roman ship.
Man
One of the piece with which certain games, as chess or draughts, are played.
Man
To supply with men; to furnish with a sufficient force or complement of men, as for management, service, defense, or the like; to guard; as, to man a ship, boat, or fort.
See how the surly Warwick mans the wall !
They man their boats, and all their young men arm.
Man
To furnish with strength for action; to prepare for efficiency; to fortify.
Man
To tame, as a hawk.
Man
To furnish with a servant or servants.
Man
To wait on as a manservant.
Man
An adult male person (as opposed to a woman);
There were two women and six men on the bus
Man
Someone who serves in the armed forces; a member of a military force;
Two men stood sentry duty
Man
The generic use of the word to refer to any human being;
It was every man for himself
Man
All of the inhabitants of the earth;
All the world loves a lover
She always used `humankind' because `mankind' seemed to slight the women
Man
Any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae
Man
A male subordinate;
The chief stationed two men outside the building
He awaited word from his man in Havana
Man
An adult male person who has a manly character (virile and courageous competent);
The army will make a man of you
Man
A male person who plays a significant role (husband or lover or boyfriend) in the life of a particular woman;
She takes good care of her man
Man
A manservant who acts as a personal attendant to his employer;
Jeeves was Bertie Wooster's man
Man
One of the British Isles in the Irish Sea
Man
Game equipment consisting of an object used in playing certain board games;
He taught me to set up the men on the chess board
He sacrificed a piece to get a strategic advantage
Man
Take charge of a certain job; occupy a certain work place;
Mr. Smith manned the reception desk in the morning
Man
Provide with men;
We cannot man all the desks
Man
A human being regardless of gender or age.
Every man is entitled to certain rights.
Common Curiosities
Is Man always singular?
Yes, Man is singular. Its plural form is "men."
Is Info a formal term?
No, Info is an informal abbreviation for "information."
Can Man be used to represent humanity?
Yes, Man has historically been used to refer to humanity as a whole, though this usage is becoming less common due to gender sensitivity.
Is Info an acronym?
No, Info is an abbreviation, not an acronym.
Can Man denote an employee?
Yes, Man can be used colloquially to refer to a worker or employee.
Does Man only refer to adult males?
Primarily, yes. But Man can also denote the human species or individuals irrespective of gender in certain contexts.
Where is Info commonly used?
Info is often used in casual communication, texting, news, and technology contexts.
Can Man be used as a verb?
Yes, Man can be a verb, meaning to staff or operate, as in "to man the stations."
Can Info be used in academic writing?
It's better to use the full term "information" in academic or formal writing instead of Info.
Are there other abbreviations like Info?
Yes, the English language has many abbreviations, like "photo" for "photograph" or "bio" for "biography."
Is the use of Man changing in modern times?
The use of Man to represent all of humanity is decreasing in favor of more gender-neutral terms, reflecting changing societal values.
What's the origin of Info?
Info is a modern abbreviation derived from the word "information."
Can Man refer to a boyfriend?
Yes, in informal contexts, Man can refer to someone's boyfriend or partner.
Does Man have other meanings in games?
Yes, in board games, a Man can refer to a game piece or token.
Does Info always mean factual data?
While Info often refers to facts, it broadly denotes details or knowledge about a subject, which might be subjective.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
