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Definition of manuscript

manuscript

/ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/
man · u · script

Plural:manuscripts
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manuscript Lexical Profile

manuscript Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An author's unpublished text or draft that is submitted to a publisher or printer.

Example

"She finally finished the final edits and submitted her manuscript to the publisher."


2

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.

Example

"Scholars discovered an ancient illuminated manuscript in the monastery's archives."

Synonyms
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• adjective

1

Written by hand rather than typed or printed.

Example

"The museum displayed several manuscript letters from the 18th century."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

While historically referring exclusively to handwritten texts, modern publishing uses 'manuscript' for any unpublished author draft, including typed or digitally produced documents.

Word Origin & Etymology

Late 16th century: from Medieval Latin manuscriptum, from Latin manu ('by hand') and scriptus ('written'), past participle of scribere.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Manuscript. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/manuscript
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