A manger is a long, open box or trough that holds food for farm animals like horses, cattle, and donkeys. Picture a wooden or metal container built along the wall of a barn, filled with hay or grain, positioned at just the right height for animals to eat comfortably without their food spilling on the ground.

On farms, you'll often see mangers in stables and barns, keeping feed clean and accessible. Some mangers are simple wooden boxes, while others might be built right into the barn's structure.

Many people know this word from the Christmas story, where Mary and Joseph placed the baby Jesus in a manger because there was no room at the inn. The manger served as an improvised cradle, likely lined with soft hay.

Nativity scenes often show that familiar image of a feeding trough transformed into a cradle.