Manuscripts

/ˈmænjəskrɪpts/ noun

Definition

Written or typed documents, especially books or stories written by hand before printing was invented.

Etymology

From Latin manu scriptus, literally meaning 'written by hand'—manu (by hand) and scriptus (written, past participle of scribere). The word reflects the pre-printing era when all books were handwritten.

Kelly Says

Medieval monks spent years copying manuscripts by hand, and if they made a mistake, they might pray for forgiveness in the margin—some of these prayers still survive! Marginal notes from monks are some of the most charming historical records we have.

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