longhand

American  

[lawng-hand, long-] / ˈlɔŋˌhænd, ˈlɒŋ- /

noun

1. writing of the ordinary kind, in which words are written out in full (distinguished from shorthand).

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adjective

1. using longhand.

   longhand writing.

2. written in longhand.

   a longhand account of the meeting.

longhand British  

/ ˈlɒŋˌhænd /

noun

1. ordinary handwriting, in which letters, words, etc, are set down in full, as opposed to shorthand or to typing

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Etymology

Origin of longhand

First recorded in 1660–70; long ¹ + hand

Example Sentences

"I scribble and sketch, but shift quickly to the computer. I thought I'd write the whole manuscript longhand - by the third paragraph I gave up."

From BBC • Sep. 4, 2025

Put to task by Aboriginal elders, her job was to take down their every word in longhand.

From New York Times • Feb. 4, 2024

The Times asked readers for samples of their cursive and to talk about their relationship with old-fashioned, longhand writing with its loops, curls and dips.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2024

During moments of rest, he leafed through a diary, written longhand by a Russian soldier: “I’ve been at war for four weeks already and I miss my mom,” Courier read.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 20, 2023

I’d done it the first time, grudgingly, not telling him how much I hated typing, how I did all but the final drafts of my stories in longhand.

From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler

Related Words

• calligraphy
• manuscript
• scrawl
• script
• writing