/ ˈmænjuskrɪpt; NAmE / noun ( abbr. MS )
1.
a copy of a book, piece of music, etc. before it has been printed :
an unpublished / original manuscript
I read her poems in manuscript .
2.
a very old book or document that was written by hand before printing was invented :
medieval illuminated manuscripts
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin manuscriptus , from manu by hand + scriptus written (past participle of scribere ).