calligraphy

[kuh-lig-ruh-fee]

noun

1. fancy penmanship, especially highly decorative handwriting, as with a great many flourishes.

   She appreciated the calligraphy of the 18th century.

2. handwriting; penmanship.

3. the art of writing beautifully.

   He studied calligraphy when he was a young man.

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

5. 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.

calligraphy

/ kəˈlɪɡrəfɪ, ˌkælɪˈɡræfɪk /

noun

1. Also called: chirography. handwriting, esp beautiful handwriting considered as an art

Other Word Forms

• calligrapher noun
• calligraphist noun
• calligraphic adjective
• calligraphical adjective
• calligraphically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of calligraphy¹

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

Example Sentences

Enthusiasts of the Dutch and Flemish Golden Age will be delighted to learn of the more quotidian arts that rounded out this visually rich epoch: hand-wrought lace, calligraphy, botanical illustrations and more.

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After photos hit the wires showing construction equipment at the White House, tearing into the East Wing, critics lamented the lost quarters of the social secretary and the calligraphy office.

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Kurosawa insisted on mixing black calligraphy ink with the water in the rain machines, to ensure that the deluge could be distinguished from the cloudy sky behind it.

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Mothersbaugh always knew he’d be in a band, but he went to Kent State to study art, especially drawn to printmaking and calligraphy.

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Her grandmother taught tea ceremonies, and her grandfather taught calligraphy.

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Related Words

• longhand 
• manuscript 
• scrawl 
• script 
• writing