stick shift

American  

noun

1. a manually operated transmission for an automotive vehicle, with the shift lever set either in the floor or on the steering column.

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stick shift British  

noun

1. 1. a manually operated transmission system in a motor vehicle

   2. a motor vehicle having manual transmission

2. a gear lever

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Etymology

Origin of stick shift

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

What brought me here was my 16-year-old daughter’s declaration, a month or so after getting her learner’s permit, that she wanted to master a stick shift.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

Toyota has put a fake stick shift in an electric car.

From Slate • Jun. 15, 2023

Bassett’s character gives him historical context and teaches him skills, like how to drive a stick shift.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 15, 2023

Michael added, “We make fun of him because we can all drive stick shift, we can change oil, but he never really got into it.”

From Washington Post • Mar. 2, 2023

She’d put me on her lap and let me steer and work the indicators while she worked the pedals and the stick shift.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah