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. letters, (used with a singular or plural verb)
   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 epistolary
3. See spirit
   the letter
   the letter 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. to the letter
   to the letter
   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

Derived Forms

• ˈletterer, noun

Other Words From

• letter·er noun
• letter·less 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

In addition to the idiom beginning with letter , also see 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

She did urge the county to take out SDSU students from the statistics, and they’re going to send a letter to the state asking that the SDSU numbers not be included in the calculation of the county’s tier status.

From Voice of San Diego

I could name many of them who, for example, organized and signed a letter of support for me in 1991.

From Ozy

That’s why Ivan tells Selin that his love for her is “for the person writing your letters.”

From Vox

Let’s get to the letter of the law, as Apple is a stickler for precision when it comes to these rules.

From TechCrunch

Obviously, thankfully, that letter never needed to be opened, but I wrote that letter that tells your loved ones what you want them to know.

From Ozy

In memoriam, Parker Molloy writes a powerful letter to Leelah.

From The Daily Beast

Your letter highlights so many of the harsh realities trans people face, specifically in regard to how society rejects us.

From The Daily Beast

Just a few short years ago, I sat down at my computer, and I typed out a similar goodbye letter.

From The Daily Beast

Copies of the letter were sent to senior members of the church hierarchy and to the Soviet government.

From The Daily Beast

I have never gotten one letter in my office about one of those.

From The Daily Beast

He turned to the gentle accents of his sweet Alice, breathed in a letter which had been wet with her grateful tears.

From Project Gutenberg

Hoosier hurried on board the boat, and followed Dick's instructions to the letter.

From Project Gutenberg

A letter from Fajardo to the king (December 10, 1621) concerns various matters of administration and business.

From Project Gutenberg

How little did he divine that the letter of the doctor was called forth by a communication from the countess-dowager.

From Project Gutenberg

With this letter is another by the same writer, dated July 30, 1622—a postscript to a duplicate of the preceding letter.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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