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letter1 definition

let·ter (let′ər)

noun

  1. a written or printed symbol employed to represent a speech sound or sounds; character in an alphabet: in some languages, as English, some words contain letters that are no longer sounded
  2. a written or printed message to a person or group, usually sent by mail in an envelope
  3. an official document giving certain authorities or privileges: usually used in pl.
    1. literature generally
    2. learning; knowledge, esp. of literature
  5. strict interpretation of the literal meaning, or the literal meaning itself; exact wording
  6. ☆ a cloth representation of the first letter of the name of a school or college, awarded and worn for superior performance in sports, etc.
  7. Printing
    1. a type, impression, or photographic reproduction of a character of the alphabet
    2. a particular style of type

Etymology: ME lettre < OFr < L littera, letter of the alphabet, (in pl.) a letter, epistle

transitive verb

  1. to make hand-printed letters on; mark with letters to letter a poster
  2. to set down in hand-printed letters to letter one's name

intransitive verb

  1. to make hand-printed letters
  2. ☆ Informal to earn a school letter as in a sport

Related Forms:

letter Idioms

to the letter

just as written or directed; precisely
letter2 definition

let·ter (let′ər)

noun

a person who lets, or rents out, property

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms letter idiom

letter Synonyms

letter

n.

  1. A unit of the alphabet

    character, digraph, diphthong, capital, cap*, upper case, lower case, LC*, l.c.*, small letter, majuscule.*, minuscule.*, rune.*, uncial.*, alphabet.*, logotype.*, ligature; see also consonant, vowel.

    The Greek letters are: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, eta, theta, iota, kappa, lambda, mu, nu, xi, omicron, pi, rho, sigma, tau, upsilon, phi, chi, psi, omega.

  2. A written communication

    note, epistle, missive, message, billet*, memorandum*, report*, line*; see also word 3.

    Types of letters include: business, form, circular, drop, open, chain, cover, fan, love, personal; letter of credit, letter of resignation, billet-doux, postcard, postal, direct mail advertising, junk mail*.

to the letter

just as written, just as directed, perfectly, precisely; see exactly.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

letter Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • alphabet: Send us your suggestions for missing letters of the alphabet.

Converse of object

  • write: During the SATs the students were expected to write a letter from an owl's point of view.

Noun used with modifier

  • capital: Write your answer in capital letters on the answer sheet.

Adjective modifier

  • undated: We will also include pre-signed, undated letters of resignation from nominee director, plus Notarised and Apostilled copy of Nominee Director ' passport.

Preposition: in

  • alphabet: Today I have been in existence for exactly the same number of years as there are letters in the Latin alphabet.
letter usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

letter quotes

It was a saying of an ancient philosopher, which I find some of our writers have ascribed to Queen Elizabeth, who perhapsmight havetakenoccasionto repeat it, that a good face is a letter of recommendation.

-Addison,Joseph

It isgenerally better to deal by speech than by letter.

-Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

A lone letter from a young man: that is fame.

-Berryman,John originally John Allyn Smith

letter quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"letter." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/letter>

APA Style

letter. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/letter

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