n. (sing. abbr. ms, pl. abbr. mss)a handwritten documentan unpublished documentAPPM2 1989, 1.0AAny text in handwriting or typescript (including printed forms completed by hand or typewriter) which may or may not be part of a collection of such texts. Examples of manuscripts are letters, diaries, ledgers, minutes, speeches, marked or corrected galley or page proofs, manuscript books, and legal papers.(usually pl.) synonymous with manuscript collectionMearns 1957, 316Meanwhile, in metropolitan Boston the Houghton Library concedes to the Massachusetts Historical Society manuscripts connected with New England history while reserving literary manuscripts for itself; the Massachusetts Historical Society surrenders genealogical manuscripts to the New England Historic Genealogical Society; and the Boston Public Library forswears manuscripts relating to early Boston business history in favor of the Baker Library. Clearly, there are enough papers to go around.an author’s draft of a book, article, or other work submitted for publication
Notes
Manuscript1 is principally text or musical notation on paper, but may be supplemented by drawings. Typewritten documents are generally classified as manuscripts but are more accurately described as typescripts.