letterbox

[ let-er-boks ]

/ ˈlɛt ərˌbɒks /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR letterbox ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Also letter box. Chiefly British. a public or private mailbox.

Digital Technology, Television. a technique for displaying a wide-screen film or landscape video on a narrower screen by reducing its size but retaining the aspect ratio, with black bands filling the screen above and below the picture (often used attributively):letterbox videos.Compare pan and scan, pillarbox(def 1).

verb (used with object)

Digital Technology, Television. to display (a film or video) by using the letterbox technique.

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUNCTUATION QUIZ

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Question 1 of 10

Which punctuation mark is best for this sentence? "Can I watch a movie __"

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Origin of letterbox

First recorded in 1765–75; letter¹ + box¹

Words nearby letterbox

letter-high, letter-perfect, letter-quality, letter-quality printing, letter-size, letterbox, letterboxing, lettered, letterer-siwe disease, letterform, letterhead

Example sentences from the Web for letterbox

He felt in the letterbox, drew forth a letter, and with this he went back to the sitting-room.
The Island Pharisees|John Galsworthy
Friend Fox thanked him very kindly, made himself very small, and was out of sight like a letter in a letterbox.
The Fairy Ring|Various
There was a letterbox at the corner, a foot from the older man's shoulder.
The Lifted Bandage|Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews
That letter he dropped into the Pixley letterbox himself that night, and so was assured of its delivery.
Pearl of Pearl Island|John Oxenham

The lid flew back, and we pressed forward, and each ran his hand down into the letterbox.
In the Fog|Richard Harding Davis