manual
Americanadjective
-
done, operated, worked, etc., by the hand or hands rather than by an electrical or electronic device.
a manual gearshift.
-
involving or using human effort, skill, power, energy, etc.; physical.
manual labor.
-
of or relating to the hand or hands.
manual deformities.
-
of the nature of a manual or handbook.
manual instructions.
noun
-
manuals
plural
-
a small book, especially one giving information or instructions.
a manual of mathematical tables.
-
a nonelectric or nonelectronic typewriter; a typewriter whose keys and carriage may be powered solely by the typist's hands.
-
Military. the prescribed drill in handling a rifle.
the manual of arms.
-
Music. a keyboard, especially one of several belonging to a pipe organ.
-
Automotive. manual transmission.
adjective
-
of or relating to a hand or hands
-
operated or done by hand
manual controls
-
physical, as opposed to mental or mechanical
manual labour
-
by human labour rather than automatic or computer-aided means
-
of, relating to, or resembling a manual
noun
-
a book, esp of instructions or information
a car manual
-
music one of the keyboards played by hand on an organ
-
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
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Body Language: Man ("Hand")
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
But if AI absorbs the most manual elements of pulling pacing reports and tweaking platform bids, for example, practitioners might be able to see and work beyond their silos.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Although the method is effective, finding genuine new craters requires extensive manual review.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
Before fully dedicating himself to music, Lake worked as a postman and did manual labor jobs in the fish processing industry in the U.K.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Researchers also highlighted that manual notetaking serves important functions for clinicians in their reasoning and reflection on what the patient has said.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
According to the manual, a criminal’s secret becomes an “enemy” within him and “weakens the whole fortress of his strength.”
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
"I can't read instruction manuals, but I've watched YouTube tutorials," he says, generating a growling bass line that sounds like the dawning of the apocalypse.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
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
Once, video games came with lots of physical goodies, such as guides, maps and manuals.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
Sabbir reads manuals on the theory of navigation, and Islamic texts—or plays table tennis with his crew.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026
Desks were piled high with embossed session manuals, A Beginner’s Guide to Spice Elixirs from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal by Riddhi Parekh; a golden scale; sets of porcelain spoons; and metal tins.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
