letter

¹

[let-er]

noun

1. a written or printed communication addressed to a person or organization and usually transmitted by mail.

2. a symbol or character that is conventionally used in writing and printing to represent a speech sound and that is part of an alphabet.

3. a piece of printing type bearing such a symbol or character.

4. a particular style of type.

5. such types collectively.

6. Often letters a formal document granting a right or privilege.

7. actual terms or wording; literal meaning, as distinct from implied meaning or intent (spirit ).

   the letter of the law.

8. (used with a singular or plural verb),  letters,

   1. literature in general.

   2. the profession of literature.

   3. learning; knowledge, especially of literature.

9. an emblem consisting of the initial or monogram of a school, awarded to a student for extracurricular activity, especially in athletics.

verb (used with object)

1. to mark or write with letters; inscribe.

   I picked up the crossword and lettered in P-E-A-R-L for the final clue.

verb (used without object)

1. to earn a letter in an interscholastic or intercollegiate activity, especially a sport.

   He lettered in track at Harvard.

letter

²

[let-er]

noun

Chiefly British.

1. a person who lets, especially one who rents out property.

letter

/ ˈlɛtə /

noun

1. any of a set of conventional symbols used in writing or printing a language, each symbol being associated with a group of phonetic values in the language; character of the alphabet

2. a written or printed communication addressed to a person, company, etc, usually sent by post in an envelope

3. the strict legalistic or pedantic interpretation of the meaning of an agreement, document, etc; exact wording as distinct from actual intention (esp in the phrase the letter of the law ) Compare spirit 1

4. archaic,  printing a style of typeface

   a fancy letter

5. 1. following the literal interpretation or wording exactly

   2. attending to every detail

verb

1. to write or mark letters on (a sign, etc), esp by hand

2. (tr) to set down or print using letters

Other Word Forms

• letterer noun
• letterless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of letter¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, variant of lettre, from Old French, from Latin littera “alphabetic character”; in plural, “epistle, literature”

Origin of letter²

First recorded in 1550–60; let ¹ + -er ¹ ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of letter¹

C13: from Old French lettre, from Latin littera letter of the alphabet

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. to the letter, to the last particular; precisely.

   His orders were carried out to the letter.

More idioms and phrases containing letter

• bread and butter letter
• crank call (letter)
• dead letter
• four-letter word
• poison-pen letter
• red-letter day
• to the letter

Synonym Study

See literature.

Example Sentences

Mr Phillips' mother Julia also wrote him a letter - provided to New Zealand outlet Stuff - saying that everyday she hoped "today will be the day that you all come home".

Read more on BBC

"Every year, we receive thousands of letters, emails, requests, people saying 'this is the one you should choose' – so to have that campaign, the pressure… isn't really something new," he tells me.

Read more on BBC

In a letter sent to Department of Justice Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Democratic lawmakers lambasted the White House’s “conflicting and increasingly desperate statements” in response to allegations of bribery leveled at Homan.

Read more on Salon

He subsequently sent a solicitor's letter to Gavin requesting his money back, and eventually visited the Dubliner's parents' home to deliver a letter.

Read more on BBC

Estyn's report on artificial intelligence says some teachers are using it to plan lessons and to draft letters to parents and pupil reports.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• answer 
• memo 
• memorandum 
• message 
• note 
• postcard 
• reply 
• report