Letter

/ˈlɛtə/ · noun

Meaning

A symbol in an alphabet..

Definitions by Sense

1. A symbol in an alphabet.
2. A written or printed communication, usually defined as longer and more formal than a note. (Sometimes specifically one that is on paper.)
3. The literal meaning of something, as distinguished from its intended and remoter meaning (the spirit).
4. (in the plural) Literature.
5. (law) A division unit of a piece of law marked by a letter of the alphabet.
6. (US, uncountable) A size of paper, 8½ in × 11 in (215.9 mm × 279.4 mm).
7. (Canada, uncountable) A size of paper, 215 mm × 280 mm.
8. (US, scholastic) Clipping of varsity letter.

Example Sentences

There are twenty-six letters in the English alphabet.

And a superscription also was written ouer him in letters of Greeke, and Latin, & Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE IEWES.

I wrote a letter to my sister about my life.

The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and natural.

The magician gave this to the young man and said to him,“ Go at such an hour of the night and stand before a pagan tomb and call the demons, and throw the letter into the air, and immediately they will come to you.” And the young man called the devils and threw the letter into the air, and the prince of darkness came,[…]

He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.

An indulgent playmate, Grannie would lay aside the long scratchy-looking letter she was writing (heavily crossed ‘to save notepaper’) and enter into the delightful pastime of ‘a chicken from Mr Whiteley's’.

In obedience to humane laws, we muſt obſerve the letter of the Law, where we can without doing violence to the reaſon of the Law and the intention of the Law-giver: but where they croſſe each other, the charity of the Law is to be preferred before its diſcipline, and the reaſon of it before the letter.

Synonyms for letter

Antonyms for letter

Related Words

Word Forms

• letters
• lettre
• lettering
• lettered
• lettor

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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