manuscript

American  

[man-yuh-skript] / ˈmæn jəˌskrɪpt /

noun

• manuscripts
  plural

1. the original text of an author's work, handwritten or now usually typed, that is submitted to a publisher.

2. any text not printed.

3. a book or document written before the invention of printing.

4. writing, as distinguished from print.

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adjective

1. handwritten or typed, not professionally printed.

manuscript British  

/ ˈmænjʊˌskrɪpt /

noun

1. a book or other document written by hand

2. the original handwritten or typed version of a book, article, etc, as submitted by an author for publication

3. 1. handwriting, as opposed to printing

   2. ( as modifier )

      a manuscript document

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• manuscriptal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• manuscripts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of manuscript

1590–1600; < Medieval Latin manūscrīptus written by hand, equivalent to Latin manū by hand (ablative of manus ) + scrīptus written; see script

Explanation

A manuscript is a handwritten work. It's still a manuscript if it's typed — if a publisher asks for your manuscript, don't send her something scrawled on notebook paper! The noun manuscript evolved from the Latin manu scriptus, meaning “written by hand.” Manu is “hand” and scriptus is “to write." It refers to old documents actually written by hand before books were made, but it can also refer to a writer's unpublished work whether it's handwritten or typed. Samuel Johnson said, “Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original and the part that is original is not good.” Harrumph!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

manuscript manuscripts

When he received McCarthy’s manuscript, he showed it to Erskine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Orélien was unknown when he submitted the manuscript to Quebec publisher Éditions du Boréal, which released the book in March.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

"We tested several passages, from different bits of the manuscript, to come up with the identical result: 100 percent AI," the group said on X.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

The manuscript, known as Codex Azcatitlán, has been held in France's Bibliothèque Nationale since 1898, but had already spent decades outside of Mexico before that.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

“You’re supposed to get me that manuscript, by any means possible,” Mr. Remora said.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Chase said the acquisition marked an expansion of the library’s collecting interests beyond its millions of rare books, manuscripts and historical items spanning from the 11th through the 21st centuries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

And others are using AI-detection software to vet manuscripts, although the accuracy of these tools remains a source of debate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

The ability to recover substantial genetic information without damaging the parchment could make institutions more comfortable allowing researchers to study valuable manuscripts.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

With so many eye-catching objects to behold, the watercolors and manuscripts, as refined as they are, can seem overshadowed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

At least one source records that Demetrius was an intimate of the king, and had influence over policy, possibly including the seizure and copying of all incoming manuscripts for the “ships’ collection.”

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro

Related Words

• article
• document
• text