handheld

American

[hand-held] / ˈhændˌhɛld /

Or hand-held

adjective

held in the hand or hands.

a handheld torch.
small enough to be used or operated while being held in the hand or hands.

a handheld hair drier.

noun

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

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:

handheld

You’ve been playing for years now with this mobile handheld setup.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

DJI, the Shenzhen-based company that dominates the global consumer market for drones, also makes handheld cameras and other imaging gear.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

The agency recommended the use of eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers, providing they were genuine models.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Ko Jae-ok, 87, has collected handheld battery-powered fans discarded by wealthier Seoul citizens, but found they provide little relief.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

He’d only come up now to get a book since his grandma had forbidden handheld computer games from her house.

From "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023