manicure

1 of 2

noun

man·​i·​cure ˈma-nə-ˌkyu̇r 

1

: manicurist

2

: a treatment for the care of the hands and fingernails

manicure

2 of 2

verb

manicured; manicuring

transitive verb

1

: to do manicure work on

especially : to trim and polish the fingernails of

2

a

: to trim closely and evenly

manicured lawns

b

: groom sense 2

manicured flower beds

Examples of manicure in a Sentence

Noun

She gets a manicure every week or so.

Verb

She spends her weekends working in her garden and manicuring her lawn.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

To complement the stunning ring, Gomez opted for a simple nude manicure with short, rounded nails. —Catherine Santino, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024

The Chanel Le Vernis Ballerina shade is an elevated take on a basic buff manicure — providing a glossy sheen that straddles the line between sophisticated and lighthearted. —Stacia Datskovska, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024

Verb

Picture a place that’s as manicured as a scene from The Truman Show (without the eeriness). —Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2024

Instead, all the attention goes to micro-shifts in people’s moods, which, for characters this manicured, are as dramatic as a new ripple in a rock garden. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from Latin manus hand + French -icure (as in pédicure pedicure) — more at manual

First Known Use

Noun

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing manicure

• French manicure

Kids Definition

manicure

1 of 2 noun

man·​i·​cure ˈman-ə-ˌkyu̇(ə)r 

: a beauty treatment for the hands and nails

manicure

2 of 2 verb

manicured; manicuring

1

: to give a manicure to

2

: to trim closely and evenly

manicured their lawn

Etymology

Noun

from French manicure "one who gives a beauty treatment for the hands," derived from Latin manus "hand" and Latin cura "care"