always used before a noun
1
: doing or involving hard physical work
low-paid manual workers/laborers
She spent the summer doing manual labor on her uncle's farm.
2
: of or relating to using the hands
He has quite a bit of manual dexterity. [=skill and ease in using his hands]
manual skill
3
: operated or controlled with the hands or by a person
I can't drive her car because it has a manual transmission instead of an automatic transmission. [=it has a system for changing gears that has to be operated by the driver]
: operated only with the hands and without electric power
He has a collection of old-fashioned manual typewriters.
plural manuals
1
: a small book that gives useful information about something : handbook
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/employee manual if you have any questions about your job.
2
: a vehicle that has a system for changing gears that has to be operated by the driver : a car with a manual transmission
Is your car a manual or an automatic?
Cite this Entry
“Manual.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/manual. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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