manicure

1 of 2

noun

man·​i·​cure ˈma-nə-ˌkyu̇r 

1

: a treatment for the care of the hands and fingernails

2

: manicurist

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

Neutral nail devotees can easily shift to a pastel yellow manicure—which plays just as nicely with your spring wardrobe as a classic pale pink. —Grace McCarty, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2026

Her 2023 Soul Train Awards style paired waist-long wand curls with a red manicure and sculpted black gown. —Essence, 17 Mar. 2026

Verb

These include vacuums that empty themselves, robot mops that scrub and even mowers that manicure your lawn without human intervention. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026

The landscaping is understated and not overly manicured—lots of native oak trees, grasses and shrubs—which adds to the natural, unfussy feel of the property. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2026

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 2

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"