letter
Pluralletters
Verbletters, lettering, lettered
Pluralletters
Formsletters, lettering, lettered
- 1A written message you send to someone, usually longer and more formal than a note.
Like a text message, but on paper and sent in the mail.
She wrote a long letter to her grandmother.
The letter arrived three weeks after he mailed it.
UsageWrite a letter to someone. A letter of thanks says thank you.
Similarmessage, note, missive, epistle
Note
- 2
- 3The exact words of something, not the deeper meaning behind them.
Like following a recipe word for word, even when it stops making sense.
They followed the letter of the rule but ignored its purpose.
He stuck to the letter of the agreement, not its intent.
UsageWe often say someone followed the letter, not the spirit, of a rule, as a criticism.
Similarwording
Oppositespirit
Note
- 4
Less common meanings
- 5Written works such as novels, poems, and essays, taken as a whole, always in the plural form letters.
She devoted her whole life to letters and learning.
A career in letters rarely makes anyone rich.
UsageUsed in phrases like a man of letters, someone who writes or knows a lot about books.
Similarliterature
- 6A common size of paper in the US and Canada, 8.5 by 11 inches.
Load some letter paper into the printer.
In the US, most documents are printed on letter.
UsageSay on letter or letter-size paper.
Note
- 7Clipping of varsity letter: a cloth badge of a school's initial, given to a student for playing on a school team.
He earned his letter in cross-country as a junior.
She proudly stitched her letter onto a wool jacket.
UsageWe say a student earned a letter in a sport.
Note
- 8To earn a school sports award known as a letter.
He hopes to letter in basketball this season.
She lettered in track all four years of high school.
UsageSay letter in a sport: she lettered in track.
Note
- 9A piece of metal printing type, printing type in general, or a particular style of printed letters.
Like a rubber stamp shaped as one mark, pressed in ink to print it.
The old printer kept each letter in a wooden tray.
Under these, thro’ a garden in which is an ample fountaine, was the King's printing-house, and that famous letter so much esteem’d.
1644, John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 8 February 1644]”Here, letter means printing type, or a style of printed letters.Similartype, typeface, font, sort
Note
- 10A person who gets in the way or slows others down.
Note
- 11A small part of a law marked with a letter such as (a) or (b).
- 12A person who lets or lets out something, such as someone who rents out a room.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origins
It came through Old French from the Latin word 'littera', which meant a letter of the alphabet (and in plural, a written message).
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- Letter came through Old French from Latin littera. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin littera meant a letter of the alphabet. en.wiktionary.org
- The plural of Latin littera could mean a written message. en.wiktionary.org
It comes from Middle English and is made from the verb 'let' plus the ending '-er', meaning one who lets.
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- Letter, meaning one who lets, comes from Middle English. en.wiktionary.org
- It is formed from the verb let plus the suffix -er. en.wiktionary.org
- This letter means one who lets. en.wiktionary.org