manual

American  

[man-yoo-uhl, -yuhl] / ˈmæn ju əl, -jəl /

adjective

1. done, operated, worked, etc., by the hand or hands rather than by an electrical or electronic device.

   a manual gearshift.

2. involving or using human effort, skill, power, energy, etc.; physical.

   manual labor.

3. of or relating to the hand or hands.

   manual deformities.

4. of the nature of a manual or handbook.

   manual instructions.

---

noun

manuals plural

1. a small book, especially one giving information or instructions.

   a manual of mathematical tables.

2. a nonelectric or nonelectronic typewriter; a typewriter whose keys and carriage may be powered solely by the typist's hands.

3. Military. the prescribed drill in handling a rifle.

   the manual of arms.

4. Music. a keyboard, especially one of several belonging to a pipe organ.

5. Automotive. manual transmission.

manual British  

/ ˈmænjʊəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a hand or hands

2. operated or done by hand

   manual controls

3. physical, as opposed to mental or mechanical

   manual labour

4. by human labour rather than automatic or computer-aided means

5. of, relating to, or resembling a manual

---

noun

1. a book, esp of instructions or information

   a car manual

2. music one of the keyboards played by hand on an organ

3. military the prescribed drill with small arms

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonmanual
  adjective
• unmanual
  adjective
• manually
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• manuals
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

Her mother believed that the death was result of bullying at Manual Arts High School in South L.A. and also blamed school administrators for failing to respond to prior reports of campus harassment.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Sanchez wrote a political memoir in 2019 called "Resistance Manual" about resilience and his path to power.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

“When sufficient admissible evidence exists to charge persons involved in public corruption, as required by the Justice Manual, the Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively pursue such charges,” she wrote.

From Salon • May 6, 2026

Manual processes are often seen as inefficient and are gradually phased out.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

I finished Campbell’s 1907 Soil Culture Manual and am now reading some of Rooster Jim's poultry journals so I can be ready for my chickens when I get them.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

Related Words

• cookbook
• guide
• guidebook
• handbook
• reference book
• text
• textbook
• workbook