manual

Where does the word "manual" come from? It comes from Latin manus, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Manual’s story begins in Latin: manus meant “hand.” The root of 'manage', 'manuscript' and 'manufacture'. Within Latin, it grew into manualis by ancient. Of the hand, from manus. It reached English by 1400s as manual. Settled as the English word for something operated by hand, or a handbook. Today, manual means operated by hand rather than automatically, or a book of instructions.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient manus "hand", the root of 'manage', 'manuscript' and 'manufacture'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient manualis "of the hand", of the hand, from manus.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s manual "operated by hand, or a handbook of instructions", settled as the English word for something operated by hand, or a handbook.