handheld

American  

[hand-held] / ˈhændˌhɛld /

Or hand-held

adjective

1. held in the hand or hands.

   a handheld torch.

2. small enough to be used or operated while being held in the hand or hands.

   a handheld hair drier.

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noun

1. something small enough to be used or operated while held in the hand or hands.

   She traded in her bulky old movie camera for a handheld.

Etymology

Origin of handheld

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Handheld PCs are no longer a rarity, and neither are handheld games machines.

From BBC • Oct. 15, 2025

Handheld and desktop personal particle monitors are also available for purchase.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2024

Handheld cameras or phones also come with clearer, universally understandable cues: Holding the device a certain way says, “I’m taking photos or a video.”

From Slate • Jun. 8, 2023

Handheld Oregon Trail Game: They can die of dysentery again and again with this handheld version of the classic 1980s game.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 19, 2019

Handheld camera footage showed a team of federal agents leading Sorrento across the lobby of the IOI corporate headquarters.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline