manicure

1 of 2

noun

man·​i·​cure ˈma-nə-ˌkyu̇r How to pronounce manicure (audio)
Synonyms of manicurenext
1
: a treatment for the care of the hands and fingernails
2
: manicurist

manicure

2 of 2

verb

manicured; manicuring

transitive verb

1
: to do manicure work on
especially : to trim and polish the fingernails of
2
a
: to trim closely and evenly
manicured lawns
b
: groom sense 2
manicured flower beds

Examples of manicure in a Sentence

Noun She gets a manicure every week or so. Verb She spends her weekends working in her garden and manicuring her lawn.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The look is part of the current clean-beauty trend and follows in the footsteps of manicures like soap nails, naked nails, and milky nails. — Paula Oelbaum, Glamour, 10 Aug. 2026 The trends worn by the Spice Girls (all five, of course), Whitney Houston, Jennifer Aniston, Claudia Schiffer, Britney Spears, Madonna, and more were bold and unapologetic—truly the antithesis to today’s soap nails and clean-girl manicures. — Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
If minimalists manicures are more your speed, this one strikes the perfect balance. — Odeya Pinkus, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026 After all, they can be meticulously manicured to create a pristine and orderly look. — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for manicure

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from Latin manus hand + French -icure (as in pédicure pedicure) — more at manual

First Known Use

Noun

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of manicure was in 1877

Phrases Containing manicure

Browse Nearby Words

manicotti
manicure
manicurist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Manicure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manicure. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

manicure

1 of 2 noun
man·​i·​cure ˈman-ə-ˌkyu̇(ə)r How to pronounce manicure (audio)
: a beauty treatment for the hands and nails

manicure

2 of 2 verb
manicured; manicuring
1
: to give a manicure to
2
: to trim closely and evenly
manicured their lawn
Etymology

Noun

from French manicure "one who gives a beauty treatment for the hands," derived from Latin manus "hand" and Latin cura "care"

More from Merriam-Webster on manicure

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for manicure

Nglish: Translation of manicure for Spanish Speakers

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