handwritten
Britishadjective
Explanation
Something that's handwritten is written with a pen or a pencil — not typed or printed. A handwritten thank-you letter is a pleasant surprise these days. Formal documents are almost always typed or sent electronically, and not handwritten. It's increasingly common for letters, invitations, and birthday greetings to be sent this way as well — which makes handwritten notes and greetings all the more intimate and meaningful. If you send handwritten invitations to a party, you write each one out by hand.
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.
On the first day of its Music Live Auction on Thursday, the highest-selling lot was a notebook by the Queen frontman which contained handwritten working lyrics and notes from the Mr. Bad Guy recording sessions.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Players were so appreciative of Doncic’s hosting efforts that they all presented him with handwritten thank-you notes after, Pelinka said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
On the back was a handwritten letter to Mark and Rita.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Businesses are ditching AI-generated graphic design for handwritten signage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
I spotted a handwritten note taped to the marquee of a Defender game.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
