Agree with you on the hand term being over used in this case for sure. Seems like the three main terms that should be used are carved, solid wood pressed or laminate.
I notice a lot of solid wood pressed instruments like the old Kalamazoo Archtops from the 30s and 40s get labeled as hand carved when I believe most of them are solid wood pressed. They were budget model Archtop guitars.
This article sums it up pretty well by reverb.
https://reverb.com/news/a-guide-to-a...intage-low-end