calligraphy
[kuh-lig-ruh-fee]
- 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.
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Origin of calligraphy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for calligraphy
Contemporary Examples
Sora has been publicly practicing her Chinese calligraphy and studying Mandarin.
Historical Examples
Calligraphy and poetry are mixed up together in the Chinese mind.
Fir-Flower TabletsVarious
Hence the introduction of calligraphy must be placed in 405.
Ibn Abi Sarh was well versed in the arts of calligraphy and horsemanship.
The Life of MohammadEtienne Dinet
This was the work of Behrisch, who was a virtuoso in calligraphy.
The Youth of GoethePeter Hume Brown
Nevertheless, the calligraphy and borderwork are the best parts of his performance.
Illuminated ManuscriptsJohn W. Bradley
calligraphy
- handwriting, esp beautiful handwriting considered as an artAlso called: chirography
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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 calligraphy
n.
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.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper