cover letter

American

[kuhv-er let-er] / ˈkʌv ər ˈlɛt ər /

noun

a letter that accompanies another letter, a package, or the like, to explain, commend, etc.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

cover letters

plural

Etymology

Origin of cover letter

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

cover letter

Having a killer cover letter used to be the way to stand out from other applicants with similar resumes.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

Make no mistake, the cover letter is still here for now.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

That starts with how you present yourself on your résumé and cover letter while going up against candidates who have outsourced the creation of those materials to AI.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 11, 2026

In a cover letter from the American teacher, dated three days after the disaster, she wrote: "Please convey to your children's parents our heartfelt feelings of compassion."

From BBC ● Apr. 4, 2026

Inside she finds a cover letter and a resume.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023