calligraphy

[ kuh-lig-ruh-fee ]

/ kəˈlɪg rə fi /

noun

fancy penmanship, especially highly decorative handwriting, as with a great many flourishes: She appreciated the calligraphy of the 18th century.

handwriting; penmanship.

the art of writing beautifully: He studied calligraphy when he was a young man.

a script, usually cursive, although sometimes angular, produced chiefly by brush, especially Chinese, Japanese, or Arabic writing of high aesthetic value.

Fine Arts. line or a group of lines either derived from or resembling letter forms and characterized by qualities usually associated with cursive writing, especially that produced with a brush or pen.

Origin of calligraphy

First recorded in 1605–15, calligraphy is from the Greek word kalligraphía beautiful writing. See calli-, -graphy

Related formscal·lig·ra·pher, cal·lig·ra·phist, nouncal·li·graph·ic

[kal-i-graf-ik] /ˌkæl ɪˈgræf ɪk/, cal·li·graph·i·cal, adjectivecal·li·graph·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for calligraphic

The calligraphic school of Winchester achieves magnificent results.
The Wanderings and Homes of Manuscripts|M. R. James
They extend the experience of writing, especially in calligraphic exercise, in the experience conveyed.
The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin
His writing was a marvel of calligraphic art; he himself, a curiosity.
Tracks of a Rolling Stone|Henry J. Coke
It is the art of calligraphic decoration, applied to the glorification of the word of Allah, otherwise the verses of the Qur'an.
The Life of Mohammad|Etienne Dinet

These letters displayed so much linguistic and calligraphic skill that the vizir Ibn-Alarif became anxious to know the writer.
History of the Jews, Vol. III (of 6)|Heinrich Graetz

British Dictionary definitions for calligraphic

calligraphy

/ (kəˈlɪɡrəfɪ) /

noun

handwriting, esp beautiful handwriting considered as an artAlso called: chirography

Derived Formscalligrapher or calligraphist, nouncalligraphic (ˌkælɪˈɡræfɪk), adjectivecalligraphically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for calligraphic

calligraphy

1610s, from Greek kaligraphia, from kallos "beauty" + graphein "to write" (see -graphy). Related: Calligraphic. The usual comb. form in Greek was kalli- "beautiful, fine, happy, favorable;" kalo- was a later, rarer alternative form.

calligraphy

noun

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Origin of calligraphy

Examples from the Web for calligraphic

calligraphy

noun

calligraphy