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Added 9 October 2026

manual

/ˈmæn.j(ʊ)əl/ noun

Categories: LanguageActionsEveryday Words

Latin root: manuāle Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about manual at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. Synonym of handbook.
  2. A booklet that instructs on the usage of a particular machine or product.
    The dishwasher isn't working; can you remember where we put the manual?
  3. A drill in the use of weapons, etc.

adjective

  1. Performed with the hands.
  2. Operated by means of the hands.
  3. Performed by a human rather than a machine.
    The teacher urged the students to do a manual check, because some errors aren't picked up by the spell checker.

noun

  1. A device that is operated using the hands, or by a human rather than a machine. A manual transmission; a gearbox, especially of a motorized vehicle, shifted by the operator.
    Tom's transmission shop can fix both manuals and automatics.
  2. A manual transmission; a gearbox, especially of a motorized vehicle, shifted by the operator.
    Tom's transmission shop can fix both manuals and automatics.
  3. A vehicle with a manual transmission.
    I'm not used to automatics; I've always driven manuals.

Origin

From Middle English manuel, from Old French manuel, from Late Latin manuāle (“handbook, manual”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Related Words: blue-collarhand-operatednon-automatichandbookguidebooktextbookpublicationplaybookworkbookbrochurepamphlet

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