letter

¹ American  

[let-er] / ˈlɛt ər /

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 (opposed to 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.

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verb (used with object)

• letters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• lettered,
  past participle,  past
• lettering
  present participle

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)

• letters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• lettered,
  past participle,  past
• lettering
  present participle

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

   He lettered in track at Harvard.

idioms

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

   His orders were carried out to the letter.

letter ² American  

[let-er] / ˈlɛt ər /

noun

Chiefly British.

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

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letter British  

/ 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

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verb

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

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

letter More Idioms  

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

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Synonym Usage

See literature.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• letterer
  noun
• letterless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• lettering
  present
• lettered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• letter
  simple
• letters
  simple
• have lettered
  perfect
• has lettered
  perfect
• am lettering
  progressive
• are lettering
  progressive
• is lettering
  progressive
• have been lettering
  perfect progressive
• has been lettering
  perfect progressive

Past

• lettered
  simple
• had lettered
  perfect
• was lettering
  progressive
• were lettering
  progressive
• had been lettering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will letter
  simple
• will have lettered
  perfect
• will be lettering
  progressive
• will have been lettering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

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. )

Explanation

A letter is one of the characters that make up the alphabet. When a child first learns to write, she often starts with the letters in her name. Then she can write a message, or letter, to her grandmother. The alphabet begins with the letters a, b, c, d. These are written as capital letters when they appear at the start of a sentence or a proper noun, such as a person's name. Another letter is the kind you write and send to someone through the mail. Letter comes from the Old French letre, "character, letter, or note," from the Latin littera, "letter of the alphabet," and also "a writing or document."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

letter letters lettered lettering

Garcia’s letter described the relationship as raising national security and public-corruption questions.

From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026

Despite the prison guard’s promise, Roebuck again declined to read the letter.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

We mean the letter to Kevin Warsh saying she was wrong to say the new Federal Reserve Chairman wouldn’t be independent.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Provisions on investment protection and dispute resolution remain a dead letter as it stands.

From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026

That was the real reason he suddenly needed to have that letter typed.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

More than 3,000 UC faculty members at all nine undergraduate campuses have signed two letters demanding the SAT’s return.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

Sink your teeth into this juicy word game: Do you enjoy making words out of a limited selection of letters?

From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026

Ukrposhta does more than just collect letters and parcels.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

“Warning letters don’t work in black markets,” said Dan Burke, who previously led illegal online pharmacy investigations at the FDA and is now director of intelligence and investigations at the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

His letters did not come as often as mine went singing to him, but I put this down to his work.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

"We have spoken with pupils in our schools and have also lettered parents for awareness."

From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026

He is confident that the Electra is so well-preserved in the icy depths that a photograph will show its radio registration — NR16020 — lettered on its wings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2024

He lettered from 1963-65 on Kentucky’s varsity under Charlie Bradshaw after playing on the freshman squad and was a consensus first team All-America as a senior.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 30, 2023

He lettered three years as a punter and kicker in high school, and came to WSU as a preferred walk-on.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 17, 2023

The text was hand- lettered, and the pictures were stick figures.

From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli

Sony said the renovations will honor “its historic legacy and singular moviegoing experience,” leaving the iconic red and blue exterior lettering intact.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

In December, the board decided to rename the institution and new lettering bearing Trump's full name was affixed to the centre's front portico the next day.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

Seoul’s iconic landmarks, from the Namsan Seoul Tower to a historic royal-palace gate, were illuminated with the “Arirang” lettering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

He completes the look with chestnut-brown Birkenstocks and a blue cap that says plants with Dodgers lettering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026

The card is thick creamy linen paper with raised gold lettering, with so many swirls and flourishes it’s hard to read. inia.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau

Related Words

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