calligraphy

[kuh-lig-ruh-fee]

See more synonyms for calligraphy on Thesaurus.com

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. 2018

Related Words for calligraphy

writing, print, handwriting, script, calligraphy, manuscript, scrawl, longhand, chirography, fist, hand, penmanship, letters, characters, scribble, autograph, cuneiform, shorthand, hieroglyphics, style

Examples from the Web for calligraphy

Contemporary Examples of calligraphy

Sora has been publicly practicing her Chinese calligraphy and studying Mandarin.
Porn Star Sora Aoi Is Taking China by Storm
Isaac Stone Fish
May 20, 2011

Historical Examples of calligraphy

Calligraphy and poetry are mixed up together in the Chinese mind.
Fir-Flower Tablets
Various
Hence the introduction of calligraphy must be placed in 405.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 15, Slice 3
Various
Ibn Abi Sarh was well versed in the arts of calligraphy and horsemanship.
The Life of Mohammad
Etienne Dinet
This was the work of Behrisch, who was a virtuoso in calligraphy.
The Youth of Goethe
Peter Hume Brown
Nevertheless, the calligraphy and borderwork are the best parts of his performance.
Illuminated Manuscripts
John W. Bradley

British Dictionary definitions for calligraphy

calligraphy

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 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.