cursive
Americanadjective
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(of handwriting) in flowing strokes with the letters joined together.
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Printing. in flowing strokes resembling handwriting.
noun
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a cursive letter or character.
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Printing. a style of typeface simulating handwriting.
adjective
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of or relating to handwriting in which letters are formed and joined in a rapid flowing style
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printing of or relating to typefaces that resemble handwriting
noun
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a cursive letter or printing type
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a manuscript written in cursive letters
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cursive
1775–85; < Medieval Latin cursīvus flowing (said of penmanship), equivalent to Latin curs ( us ) (past participle of currere to run) + -īvus -ive
Explanation
Cursive is a style of writing in which all the letters in a word are connected. It's also known as script or longhand. When the third-grade students learned cursive writing, they were excited to find that they could write entire words without lifting their pencil from the paper. Cursive comes from the past participle of the Latin word currere, which means "to run." In cursive handwriting, the letters all run into one another and the hand runs across the page, never lifting between letters. Every time a document asks for your signature at the bottom of a document, you are meant to use this flowing cursive writing style.
Vocabulary lists containing cursive
Make a Run for It: Cur, Curs
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Frindle
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Brown Girl Dreaming
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cursive “enhances a child’s brain development, including memorization, and improves fine motor skills,” she wrote.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2024
The shelves boast Amazon’s Aplenty brand for snacks and chips as well as its Cursive brand for wine.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2022
It can be used with Google’s new Cursive progressive web app for note-taking and sketching.
From The Verge • Aug. 10, 2021
Cursive needs to be taught explicitly and directly, starting at a young age, with plenty of opportunities for mindful practice and purposeful production.
From Salon • Feb. 15, 2020
Let it always be remembered, that no single Cursive is here selected from the rest or advanced to any position whatsoever which would invest its verdicts with any special authority.
From The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels by Burgon, John William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
