handmade

American  

[hand-meyd] / ˈhændˈmeɪd /

adjective

1. made make by hand, rather than by machine.

   the luxury of handmade shoes.

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handmade British  

/ ˌhændˈmeɪd /

adjective

1. made by hand, not by machine, esp with care or craftsmanship

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Etymology

Origin of handmade

First recorded in 1605–15; hand + made

Explanation

Something that's handmade wasn't made by a machine, but formed, built, or constructed by an actual person. A handmade sweater from your grandma is one she knit herself. Handmade items can look awkward and inexpertly constructed, but just as often they're more beautiful and special than their machine-made counterparts. Handmade pottery is unique, each bowl or mug looking slightly different since they're made and glazed individually, by hand. A handmade birthday card from a young relative is charming in a way its Hallmark equivalent could never be. Handmade comes from the sense of "made by hand."

Example Sentences

The threads in the suit were handmade to be 10 times bigger than normal with oversized yarn.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The jugs are handmade and hand painted by potters at Bairstow Manor in Stoke-on-Trent.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Glinting under the exhibition centre lights, the gold brooch studded with gemstones on the startup founder's lapel was handmade by Indian artisans -- but artificial intelligence dreamt up its elaborate design.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

The difference is that Churchill’s attire was handmade, like the green velvet “siren suit” now preserved in a case in the basement of Turnbull & Asser.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

And her warm leather shoes, while everybody else wore handmade straw slippers, or even nothing covering their feet at all.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata

Related Words

• homemade