lettered

American  

[let-erd] / ˈlɛt ərd /

adjective

1. educated or learned.

2. of, relating to, or characterized by learning or literary culture.

3. marked with or as if with letters.

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lettered British  

/ ˈlɛtəd /

adjective

1. well educated in literature, the arts, etc

2. literate

3. of or characterized by learning or culture

4. printed or marked with letters

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Other Word Forms

• well-lettered
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of lettered

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at letter ¹, -ed ³

Explanation

Describing a friend as lettered is a compliment — you're remarking on her educational success and knowledge. People are especially lettered when they've read a lot of books. Though you'd never want to describe yourself as lettered — you'd sound like a show off — it's a great way to describe a scholarly friend. Lettered people are well-educated and well-read, and are often academics, either teaching or researching their areas of interest. The origin of lettered is littera, "letter of the alphabet" or "document," and its plural form, litteræ, which means "literature or books."

Example Sentences

The Yankees are a surprise, too—uh, did anyone expect this kind of season from a Scarlet Lettered Alex Rodriguez?—But the Mets are the ones with the grip upon the city.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 20, 2015

Saxo Grammaticus, or "The Lettered", one of the notable historians of the Middle Ages, may fairly be called not only the earliest chronicler of Denmark, but her earliest writer.

From The Danish History, Books I-IX by Saxo, Grammaticus

Upon the Book of Time the Autocrat Has writ in Stars the fiery Idem Stat, Lettered the Riddle in the Lambent Suns - rather write than read a Book like that.

From The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam Jr. by Irwin, Wallace

Yet the Lettered and the Unlettered powers are at swords' points; and very old and bitter foemen, too, they are.

From Neghborly Poems and Dialect Sketches by Riley, James Whitcomb

Numbered and Lettered Your answers proving satisfactory to the transportation agents, a card is furnished you, containing your name, the letter of the group of thirty to which you are assigned, and your group number.

From Aliens or Americans? by Grose, Howard B. (Howard Benjamin)