adjective / noun
manual
Controlled by a person's hands rather than automatically.
The camera has a manual focus ring around its lens.
Etymology
Latin manualis means of the hand. Manual operation preserves that literal connection by placing control in a person’s hands instead of an automatic mechanism.
More examples
- Use the manual override if the automatic doors stop working.
- She drives a manual and changes gears with a clutch.
- A manual can opener works even when the power goes out.
Forms
manual · manuals
manually adverb — By hand rather than through automatic operation.
Similar words
- hand-operated
- Specifically describes equipment controlled or powered by hand.
- nonautomatic
- Emphasizes the absence of automatic operation, not necessarily hand control.