manual
Americanadjective
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done, operated, worked, etc., by the hand or hands rather than by an electrical or electronic device.
a manual gearshift.
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involving or using human effort, skill, power, energy, etc.; physical.
manual labor.
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of or relating to the hand or hands.
manual deformities.
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of the nature of a manual or handbook.
manual instructions.
noun
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manuals
plural
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a small book, especially one giving information or instructions.
a manual of mathematical tables.
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a nonelectric or nonelectronic typewriter; a typewriter whose keys and carriage may be powered solely by the typist's hands.
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Military. the prescribed drill in handling a rifle.
the manual of arms.
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Music. a keyboard, especially one of several belonging to a pipe organ.
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Automotive. manual transmission.
adjective
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of or relating to a hand or hands
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operated or done by hand
manual controls
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physical, as opposed to mental or mechanical
manual labour
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by human labour rather than automatic or computer-aided means
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of, relating to, or resembling a manual
noun
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a book, esp of instructions or information
a car manual
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music one of the keyboards played by hand on an organ
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military the prescribed drill with small arms
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of manual
First recorded in 1375–1425; from Latin manuālis (adjective), manuāle (noun) “(something) that can be held in the hand” ( manu(s) “hand” + -ālis, -āle -al 1, -al 2 ); replacing late Middle English manuel, from Middle French, from Latin, as above
Explanation
Something manual is operated by human hands. Before Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, picking cotton was a manual job. Nowadays, farmers might need to read a manual to know how to operate a cotton gin. The word manual comes from Latin root words meaning "of the hand," and the adjective form of the word still maintains that meaning — "by hand or of the hands." The adjective definition is also extended a bit to mean something done by hand and not machine, and the implication is usually that it is physical work. As a noun, manual means "an instruction booklet or handbook."
Vocabulary lists containing manual
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Body Language: Man ("Hand")
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Speaking to broadcasters on Thursday, Burnham said of the GMCA: "I've asked them to do a more manual trawl of everything, as I want everything possible to be out there."
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Executives also were “optimistic” regarding AI’s ability to automate manual tasks and act as a real-time tool for several sales, marketing and finance functions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
DNA acts like an instruction manual, storing the information that cells need to build and maintain their structures.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
Trainers used manual manipulation to find Diaz’ ideal arm slot and build muscle memory, and he was quickly cleared to resume throwing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
They also believed camp life fostered a sense of camaraderie among young people from all classes, since rich and poor alike lived side by side, performing the same manual labor and sharing rations.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
According to Canadian media, Frechette said Washington wanted concessions on Quebec's rules for appliances and instruction manuals, as well as its law promoting French-language cultural content.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
In his research Mr. Moore read scads of 18th- and 19th-century farmers’ guides and homemaking manuals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
We found an image, posted on Telegram by Rybar, showing Lyukshin in a group of "future diplomats" who had "trained using Rybar's manuals".
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
The Cambridge researchers took known genetic codes – the instruction manuals of life – from a range of coronaviruses that had been recorded by surveillance programmes hunting for potential viral threats.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Their reading consisted of work manuals, prayer books, newspapers, recipes.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
