manicure

1 of 2

noun

man·​i·​cure ˈma-nə-ˌkyu̇r How to pronounce manicure (audio)
1
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
Morgan Taylor Professional Nail Lacquer Greens $9.50 Go for a St. Patrick's Day manicure with Morgan Taylor Professional Nail Lacquer Greens. Nora Colomer, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2024 Clean, fresh, and minimal, whether A-listers went completely bare on the nails or wore a natural-looking polish (or in some cases, a French tip), the Oscar night manicures were ultra muted. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 Another option is a quick glance at her thumbs and big toes, which feature smiley faces on the nails, a recent signature she’s implemented during manicure and pedicure sessions. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Feb. 2024 Her manicure in red offers the only visual hint at emotion below the surface. Rhonda Garelick, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Basically the most flawless manicure of all time, TBH. Manicurist Marina Dobic, who frequently works with Zendaya, gave us an up-close peek at Z's classic sheer pink manicure. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 23 Feb. 2024 So the red nail polish really is a manicure for everyone that can be perfectly adapted to your own taste. Melanie Paukner, Glamour, 13 Feb. 2024 In the manicure world, pink nails easily win the popularity vote, thanks to being impressively versatile for different occasions, seasons, and personal styles. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2024 The star lounged poolside on a towel in the photo, accessorizing her triangle bikini top and matching bottoms with a dainty gold bracelet and natural manicure. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
The central mound of dirt would have to be quickly rebuilt and the racetrack soil manicured. Paul McAdory, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024 The most underrated native plant of California, this evergreen shrub can be manicured into privacy hedges or left to grow into a stately multi-trunk tree. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024 The settlement, its streets and vegetation manicured, feels more like a modest American subdivision than a neighbor to Huwara’s misery. Roger Cohen, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024 Lincoln Road, today’s equivalent of an upscale shopping mall, was meticulously manicured and lined with Royal Palm trees. Allen Lockshin, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 In Russia, and in the German Bundesliga before that, Fabian played on lush grass carpets manicured for soccer. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2024 What elevates the resort is the way that its buildings and infrastructure seamlessly blend into the landscape—everything is well-kept, but not overly manicured—enabling you to better absorb your surroundings. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2023 The seven-piece outfit is the latest example of how K-pop has streamlined the Nordic pop machine into an industry unto itself, polishing and manicuring hip-hop swagger, EDM pulse or whatever is in fashion beyond recognition. Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 12 Dec. 2023 The path, sometimes manicured with paving stones, sometimes a muddy track, wound through thick cloud forests and was dotted with mosses, ferns, and bromeliads. Tom Vanderbilt, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manicure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of manicure was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near manicure

Cite this Entry

“Manicure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manicure. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

manicure

1 of 2 noun
man·​i·​cure ˈman-ə-ˌkyu̇(ə)r How to pronounce manicure (audio)
: 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"

More from Merriam-Webster on manicure

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!