handbook
Americannoun
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a book of instruction or guidance, as for an occupation; manual.
a handbook of radio.
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a guidebook for travelers.
a handbook of Italy.
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a reference book in a particular field.
a medical handbook.
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a scholarly book on a specific subject, often consisting of separate essays or articles.
a handbook of lectures on criticism.
noun
Etymology
Origin of handbook
Translation of German Handbuch
Explanation
A handbook is a guide or list of instructions on one particular subject. A new car comes with a handbook explaining how its controls work and giving tips for problems that arise. Sometimes new parents wish their newborn infant came with a handbook. A handbook is a type of reference book, offering information about a topic or a machine. Your bird handbook might include pictures of birds in your region, and the handbook that came with your blender will tell you how to use it and also might include several smoothie recipes. In Old English, it was handboc, though in Middle English this was replaced by manual, thought at the time to be a much prettier word.
Vocabulary lists containing handbook
Reading: Informational - Middle School
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Reading: Informational - High School
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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.
I want to add that if comments about your appearance persist, you might want to consult your employee handbook and ask HR.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026
"I don't have many friends who are friends with their exes, actually," says Olivia Petter, author of dating handbook Millenial Love.
From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026
But NAR said Monday that its 2026 handbook for MLSes won’t recommend that local databases mandate membership for the agents who use it.
From Barron's • Nov. 17, 2025
I feel like if you and I got together, I could write the handbook, and we just hand it out to all the new celebs.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 15, 2025
“Yes, Commander, we all know what the handbook says. But are you trying to tell me that you never sneaked a breath of air after a few hours in the sky?”
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
