manual

1 of 2

adjective

man·​u·​al ˈman-yə-wəl 

-yəl,

-yü-əl

1

a

: of, relating to, or involving the hands

manual dexterity

b

: worked or done by hand and not by machine

a manual transmission

manual computation

manual indexing

2

: requiring or using physical skill and energy

manual labor

manual workers

manual

2 of 2

noun

1

: a book that is conveniently handled

especially : handbook

an instruction manual

2

: the prescribed movements in the handling of a weapon or other military item during a drill or ceremony

the manual of arms

3

a

: a keyboard for the hands

specifically : one of the several keyboards of an organ or harpsichord that controls a separate division of the instrument

b

: a device or apparatus intended for manual operation

c

: an automobile with a manual transmission

Is your car a manual or an automatic?

called also standard

Synonyms

Noun

• handbook
• primer
• text
• textbook

Examples of manual in a Sentence

Adjective

She spent the summer doing manual labor on her uncle's farm.

He has a collection of old-fashioned manual typewriters.

Noun

Here's the owner's manual of your new car.

The computer program comes with a user's manual.

We lost the instruction manual and couldn't put our bikes together.

Please refer to the training manual if you have any questions about your job.

Is your car a manual or an automatic?

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Public meetings addressing the water control manual changes are expected to take place this year. —Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 15 Mar. 2025

While manual verification of reviews and purchases can be a particularly time-consuming process, companies that are transparent about their processes in place to ensure customer feedback on their site is legitimate will have a distinctive advantage among fintechs where customer trust is paramount. —Branden Abushanab, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025

Noun

The broader process of updating the federal water control manuals that the dams abide by is ongoing. —Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 15 Mar. 2025

The data hoarders collect zines, manuals, family photos, old television shows, and defunct websites—just about everything digital or digitizable at risk of disappearance. —Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English manuel, from Anglo-French, from Latin manualis, from manus hand; akin to Old English mund hand and perhaps to Greek marē hand

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing manual

• manual alphabet
• manual transmission
• training manual

Rhymes for manual

• annual
• bimanual
• emmanuel
• nonmanual

Kids Definition

manual

1 of 2 adjective

man·​u·​al ˈman-yə(-wə)l 

1

: of, relating to, or involving the hands

manual skill

2

: worked or operated by hand

a car with a manual transmission

3

: requiring or using physical skill and energy

manual labor

manually

-ē

adverb

manual

2 of 2 noun

1

: a small book

especially : handbook

2

: the set movements in the handling of a weapon during a military drill

the manual of arms

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English manuel "relating to the hands, manual," from early French manuel (same meaning), from Latin manualis (same meaning), from manus "hand" — related to manage, maneuver, manufacture see Word History at maneuver

Medical Definition

manual

adjective

man·​u·​al ˈman-yə(-wə)l 

1

a

: of, relating to, or involving the hands

manual dexterity

b

: done or performed by hand and not by machine

manual removal of nits and lice

—Jerome Potts

2

: using signs and the manual alphabet in teaching the deaf compare oral sense 2

Legal Definition

manual

adjective

man·​u·​al ˈman-yə-wəl 

: involving or as if involving use of the hands

specifically : of, relating to, or being a gift of a corporeal movable object that is actually delivered

a manual donation

manually adverb