Braille

American  

[breyl] / breɪl /

Also braille

noun

1. Louis 1809–52, French teacher of the blind.

2. a system of writing or printing, devised by L. Braille for use by the blind, in which combinations of tangible dots or points are used to represent letters, characters, etc., that are read by touch.

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verb (used with object)

Brailled, Brailling

1. to write or transliterate in Braille characters.

Braille ¹ British  

/ breɪl /

noun

1. a system of writing for the blind consisting of raised dots that can be interpreted by touch, each dot or group of dots representing a letter, numeral, or punctuation mark

2. any writing produced by this method Compare Moon

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verb

1. (tr) to print or write using this method

Braille ² British  

/ braj /

noun

1. Louis (lwi). 1809–52, French inventor, musician, and teacher of the blind, who himself was blind from the age of three and who devised the Braille system of raised writing

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Braille Cultural  

1. A system of writing and printing for the blind in which arrangements of raised dots representing letters and numbers can be identified by touch.

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Etymology

Origin of Braille

First recorded in 1850–55

Explanation

The raised printing that can be felt with the fingers and read that way by people who are blind or visually impaired is called braille. Braille appears as a system of embossed dots, a tactile language that can be learned by those with limited vision. Books, articles, and letters can all be transcribed into braille by hand or with the help of a braille typewriter. You might see braille printed on elevator buttons, apartment numbers, and in other public places. The writing system gets its name from its inventor, Louis Braille, who developed it at the age of 15.

Example Sentences

Some of her hidden messages are so complex, she said, they are crafted "upside down, backwards in Braille".

From BBC • Aug. 13, 2025

For 12, he taught at the Braille Institute.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2025

The Braille Institute quickly outfitted him with a brailler and a refreshable braille display, which functions like an e-reader.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2025

Studying for her GCSEs using Braille and doing her exams was particularly difficult for Alleah, 16, who lost her sight after having cancer at the age of two.

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2024

Previously Hall had invented a machine capable of typing in Braille, the Hall Braille Writer, which he never patented because he felt profit should not sully the cause of serving the blind.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson