manicure

1 of 2

noun

man·​i·​cure ˈma-nə-ˌkyu̇r 

1

: manicurist

2

: a treatment for the care of the hands and fingernails

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

Noun

Kardashian covers her face—showing off her long French manicure—in a combination of fear and embarrassment, her eyes looking for either reassurance or permission to back out. —Marci Robin, Allure, 19 Nov. 2024

Nail polish There is no clearer sign of fall than the transition from a pale pink manicure to one of deep autumnal tones. —Jane Hanson, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Verb

Nothing is manicured, and none of the plants were imported from outside the island. —Ann Abel, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

The more lighthearted of these movies contrast the manicured, curated nature of the programming against the chaos of what’s happening backstage. —Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2024

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 1

Verb

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing manicure

• French manicure

Kids Definition

manicure

1 of 2 noun

man·​i·​cure ˈman-ə-ˌkyu̇(ə)r 

: 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"