plural manuscripts
: the original copy of a play, book, piece of music, etc., before it has been printed
The library owns the author's original manuscript.
a copy of the composer's manuscript
She read the book in manuscript. [=she read the manuscript of the book]
Cite this Entry
“Manuscript.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/manuscript. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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