handheld

adjective

hand·​held ˈhan(d)-ˌheld 

-ˈheld

: held in the hand

especially : designed to be operated while being held in the hand

handheld computers

handheld

ˈhan(d)-ˌheld 

noun

Examples of handheld in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her leadership pushed the company’s handheld diagnostic technology toward real-world use, enabling clinicians to identify infections from a patient sample in minutes rather than days, without sending it to a lab. —Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

Affordable handheld light meters are recommended for home use, but free smartphone apps and higher-end, professional-grade meters are also available. —Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 20 Jan. 2026

The case holds the Switch 2 motherboard while preserving handheld functionality. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Jan. 2026

On a typical day in the life, Hall starts her day with a broccoli and cheese egg white omelette stuffed inside a whole-wheat sandwich thin for a handheld breakfast sandwich. —Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for handheld

• barrelled
• beheld
• chiselled
• compelled
• dispelled
• excelled
• expelled
• impelled
• marvelled
• misspelled
• modelled
• panelled

Kids Definition

handheld

adjective

hand·​held -ˌheld 

: held in the hand

especially : designed to be used while being held in the hand

a handheld computer

handheld noun