letter
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Related to letter: letter writing, Letter of recommendation
let·ter
(lĕt′ər)n.
1.
a. A written symbol or character representing a speech sound and being a component of an alphabet.
b. A written symbol or character used in the graphemic representation of a word, such as the h in Thames. See Note at Thames.
2. A written or printed communication directed to a person or organization.
3. often letters A certified document granting rights to its bearer.
4. Literal meaning: had to adhere to the letter of the law.
5. letters(used with a sing. verb)
a. Literary culture; belles-lettres.
b. Learning or knowledge, especially of literature.
c. Literature or writing as a profession.
6. Printing
a. A piece of type that prints a single character.
b. A specific style of type.
c. The characters in one style of type.
7. An emblem in the shape of the initial of a school awarded for outstanding performance, especially in varsity athletics.
v. let·tered, let·ter·ing, let·ters
v.tr.
1. To write letters on: lettered the paper.
2. To write in letters: lettered our name on the mailbox.
v.intr.
Idiom: 1. To write or form letters.
2. To earn a school letter, as for outstanding athletic achievement: She lettered in three collegiate sports.
to the letter
To the last detail; exactly: followed instructions to the letter.
[Middle English, from Old French lettre, from Latin littera, perhaps from Etruscan, from Greek diphtherā, hide, leather, writing surface.]
let′ter·er n.
Synonyms: letter, epistle, memorandum, missive, note
These nouns denote a written communication directed to another: received a letter of complaint; the Epistles of the New Testament; a memorandum outlining the attendance policy; a missive of condolence; a thank-you note.
These nouns denote a written communication directed to another: received a letter of complaint; the Epistles of the New Testament; a memorandum outlining the attendance policy; a missive of condolence; a thank-you note.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
letter
(ˈlɛtə)n
1. (Linguistics) 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 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 spirit110
4. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) printing archaic a style of typeface: a fancy letter.
5. to the letter
a. following the literal interpretation or wording exactly
b. attending to every detail
vb
6. to write or mark letters on (a sign, etc), esp by hand
7. (tr) to set down or print using letters
[C13: from Old French lettre, from Latin littera letter of the alphabet]
ˈletterer n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
let•ter
(ˈlɛt ər)n.
1. a written or printed communication addressed to a person or organization and usu. transmitted by mail.
2. a symbol or character that is conventionally used in writing and printing to represent a speech sound and is part of an alphabet.
3. a piece of printing type bearing such a symbol or character.
4. a particular style of type.
5. Often, letters. a formal document granting a right or privilege.
6. actual terms or wording; literal meaning, as distinct from implied meaning or intent (opposed to spirit): the letter of the law.
7. letters, (used with a sing. or pl. v.)
a. literature in general.
b. the profession of literature.
c. learning; knowledge, esp. of literature.
8. an emblem consisting of the initial or monogram of a school, awarded to a student for accomplishment, esp. in athletics.
v.t. 9. to mark or write with letters; inscribe.
v.i. 10. to earn a letter in a school activity, esp. a sport.
Idioms: to the letter, to the last particular; precisely.
[1175–1225; Middle English, variant of lettre < Old French < Latin littera alphabetic character, in pl., epistle, literature]
let′ter•er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
letter
Past participle: lettered
Gerund: lettering
| Imperative |
|---|
| letter |
| letter |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  letter - a written message addressed to a person or organization; "mailed an indignant letter to the editor"document - anything serving as a representation of a person's thinking by means of symbolic marks mail - the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service text, textual matter - the words of something written; "there were more than a thousand words of text"; "they handed out the printed text of the mayor's speech"; "he wants to reconstruct the original text" correspondence - communication by the exchange of letters business letter - a letter dealing with business cover letter, covering letter - a letter sent along with other documents to provide additional information crank letter - a hostile (usually anonymous) letter encyclical, encyclical letter - a letter from the pope sent to all Roman Catholic bishops throughout the world fan letter - a letter that is a piece of fan mail personal letter - a letter dealing with personal affairs form letter - a letter that is printed in multiple copies and mailed to a list of recipients open letter - a letter of protest; addressed to one person but intended for the general public chain letter - a letter that is sent successively to several people pastoral - a letter from a pastor to the congregation round robin - a letter signed by a number of people epistle - a specially long, formal letter dead mail, dead letter - mail that can neither be delivered nor returned letter of intent - any letter expressing an intention to take (or forgo) some action postscript, PS - a note appended to a letter after the signature name and address, destination, address - written directions for finding some location; written on letters or packages that are to be delivered to that location line - text consisting of a row of words written across a page or computer screen; "the letter consisted of three short lines"; "there are six lines in every stanza" invitation - a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something; "an invitation to lunch"; "she threw the invitation away" |
| 2. |  letter - the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech; "his grandmother taught him his letters"spelling - forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage alphabet - a character set that includes letters and is used to write a language grapheme, graphic symbol, character - a written symbol that is used to represent speech; "the Greek alphabet has 24 characters" ascender - a lowercase letter that has a part extending above other lowercase letters descender - a lowercase letter that has a part extending below other lowercase letters digram, digraph - two successive letters (especially two letters used to represent a single sound: `sh' in `shoe') initial - the first letter of a word (especially a person's name); "he refused to put the initials FRS after his name" a - the 1st letter of the Roman alphabet b - the 2nd letter of the Roman alphabet c - the 3rd letter of the Roman alphabet d - the 4th letter of the Roman alphabet e - the 5th letter of the Roman alphabet f - the 6th letter of the Roman alphabet g - the 7th letter of the Roman alphabet h - the 8th letter of the Roman alphabet i - the 9th letter of the Roman alphabet j - the 10th letter of the Roman alphabet k - the 11th letter of the Roman alphabet l - the 12th letter of the Roman alphabet m - the 13th letter of the Roman alphabet n - the 14th letter of the Roman alphabet o - the 15th letter of the Roman alphabet p - the 16th letter of the Roman alphabet q - the 17th letter of the Roman alphabet r - the 18th letter of the Roman alphabet s - the 19th letter of the Roman alphabet t - the 20th letter of the Roman alphabet u - the 21st letter of the Roman alphabet v - the 22nd letter of the Roman alphabet ezed, izzard, zed, zee, z - the 26th letter of the Roman alphabet; "the British call Z zed and the Scots call it ezed but Americans call it zee"; "he doesn't know A from izzard" alpha - the 1st letter of the Greek alphabet beta - the 2nd letter of the Greek alphabet gamma - the 3rd letter of the Greek alphabet delta - the 4th letter of the Greek alphabet epsilon - the 5th letter of the Greek alphabet zeta - the 6th letter of the Greek alphabet eta - the 7th letter of the Greek alphabet theta - the 8th letter of the Greek alphabet iota - the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet kappa - the 10th letter of the Greek alphabet lambda - the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet mu - the 12th letter of the Greek alphabet nu - the 13th letter of the Greek alphabet xi - the 14th letter of the Greek alphabet omicron - the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet pi - the 16th letter of the Greek alphabet rho - the 17th letter of the Greek alphabet sigma - the 18th letter of the Greek alphabet tau - the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet upsilon - the 20th letter of the Greek alphabet phi - the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet psi - the 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet omega - the last (24th) letter of the Greek alphabet aleph - the 1st letter of the Hebrew alphabet beth - the 2nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet gimel - the 3rd letter of the Hebrew alphabet daleth - the 4th letter of the Hebrew alphabet he - the 5th letter of the Hebrew alphabet waw - the 6th letter of the Hebrew alphabet zayin - the 7th letter of the Hebrew alphabet heth - the 8th letter of the Hebrew alphabet teth - the 9th letter of the Hebrew alphabet yodh - the 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet kaph - the 11th letter of the Hebrew alphabet lamedh - the 12th letter of the Hebrew alphabet mem - the 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet nun - the 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet samekh - the 15th letter of the Hebrew alphabet ayin - the 16th letter of the Hebrew alphabet pe - the 17th letter of the Hebrew alphabet sadhe - the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet qoph - the 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet | |
| 3. | letter - owner who lets another person use something (housing usually) for hire owner, proprietor - (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business; "he is the owner of a chain of restaurants" | |
| 4. | letter - a strictly literal interpretation (as distinct from the intention); "he followed instructions to the letter"; "he obeyed the letter of the law" literal interpretation - an interpretation based on the exact wording | |
| 5. |  letter - an award earned by participation in a school sport; "he won letters in three sports" | |
| Verb | 1. |  letter - win an athletic letter |
| 2. |  letter - set down or print with letters | |
| 3. |  letter - mark letters on or mark with letterswrite - mark or trace on a surface; "The artist wrote Chinese characters on a big piece of white paper"; "Russian is written with the Cyrillic alphabet" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
letter
noun
plural noun
1. learning, education, culture, literature, humanities, scholarship, erudition, belles-lettres bon viveur, man of letters and long-time party supporter
to the letter precisely, strictly, literally, exactly, faithfully, accurately, word for word, punctiliously She obeyed his instructions to the letter.
Related words
adjective epistolatory
adjective epistolatory
Quotations
"Sir, more than kisses, letters mingle souls" [John Donne To Sir Henry Wotton]
"All letters, methinks, should be free and easy as one's discourse, not studied as an oration, not made up of hard words like a charm" [Dorothy Osborne Letter to William Temple]
"Sir, more than kisses, letters mingle souls" [John Donne To Sir Henry Wotton]
"All letters, methinks, should be free and easy as one's discourse, not studied as an oration, not made up of hard words like a charm" [Dorothy Osborne Letter to William Temple]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
letter
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
букваписмо
dopispísmeno
bogstavbrev
leterolitero
kiri
حرف
kirjainkirjeaakkonen
चिट्टीपत्र
pismoslovo
betűlevél
hurufsurat
bréfstafursendibréfbókstafur
文字手紙
편지글자문자
epistulalittera
raidėskrupulingaišriftasfirminio blanko rekvizitailaiškas
burtsvēstule
caracterliterăscrisoare
listpísmeno
črkapismo
писмо
bokstavbrev
baruaherufi
จดหมายตัวอักษร
буквалистлітера
chữ cáithư
letter
[ˈletəʳ]A. N
1. [of alphabet] → letra f
the letter G → la letra G
small letter → (letra f) minúscula f
capital letter → (letra f) mayúscula f
the letter of the law → la ley escrita
to follow instructions to the letter → cumplir las instrucciones al pie de la letra
the letter G → la letra G
small letter → (letra f) minúscula f
capital letter → (letra f) mayúscula f
the letter of the law → la ley escrita
to follow instructions to the letter → cumplir las instrucciones al pie de la letra
2. (= missive) → carta f
letters of Galdós (as published) → epistolario m de Galdós
letter of acknowledgement → carta f de acuse de recibo
letter of advice → carta f de aviso, notificación f
letter of application → instancia f, carta f de solicitud
letter of appointment → carta f de confirmación de un puesto de trabajo
letter of attorney or proxy → (carta f de) poder m
by letter → por carta, por escrito
covering letter → carta f adjunta
letters of credence → cartas fpl credenciales
letter of credit → carta f de crédito
documentary/irrevocable letter of credit → carta f de crédito documentaria/irrevocable
letter of intent → carta f de intenciones
letter of introduction → carta f de presentación
letter of lien → carta f de gravamen
letters patent → título m de privilegio, patente f (de invención)
letter of protest → carta f or escrito m de protesta
letter of recommendation/reference → carta f de recomendación
letters of Galdós (as published) → epistolario m de Galdós
letter of acknowledgement → carta f de acuse de recibo
letter of advice → carta f de aviso, notificación f
letter of application → instancia f, carta f de solicitud
letter of appointment → carta f de confirmación de un puesto de trabajo
letter of attorney or proxy → (carta f de) poder m
by letter → por carta, por escrito
covering letter → carta f adjunta
letters of credence → cartas fpl credenciales
letter of credit → carta f de crédito
documentary/irrevocable letter of credit → carta f de crédito documentaria/irrevocable
letter of intent → carta f de intenciones
letter of introduction → carta f de presentación
letter of lien → carta f de gravamen
letters patent → título m de privilegio, patente f (de invención)
letter of protest → carta f or escrito m de protesta
letter of recommendation/reference → carta f de recomendación
B. VT → estampar con letras
lettered in gold → estampado con letras doradas
a hand-lettered sign → un cartel escrito a mano
the boxes were lettered according to country → las cajas estaban ordenadas por letras según los países
lettered in gold → estampado con letras doradas
a hand-lettered sign → un cartel escrito a mano
the boxes were lettered according to country → las cajas estaban ordenadas por letras según los países
C. CPD letter bomb N → carta f bomba
letter card N (Brit) → carta-tarjeta f
letter carrier N (US) → cartero/a m/f
letter opener N → abrecartas m inv
letter quality printer N → impresora f calidad carta
letter writer N → corresponsal mf
I'm not much of a letter writer → apenas escribo cartas
letter card N (Brit) → carta-tarjeta f
letter carrier N (US) → cartero/a m/f
letter opener N → abrecartas m inv
letter quality printer N → impresora f calidad carta
letter writer N → corresponsal mf
I'm not much of a letter writer → apenas escribo cartas
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
letter
[ˈlɛtər] n
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
letter
n
(of alphabet) → Buchstabe m; the letter of the law → der Buchstabe des Gesetzes; to the letter → buchstabengetreu, genau; did he do it? — to the letter → hat er es getan? — ganz nach Vorschrift
(= written message) → Brief m; (Comm etc) → Schreiben nt (form) (→ to an +acc); by letter → schriftlich, brieflich; to write a letter of complaint/apology → sich schriftlich beschweren/entschuldigen
(US, = award) als Auszeichnung verliehenes Schulabzeichen
vt sign, label → beschriften; he lettered the invitations in gold → er ließ die Einladungen in Gold(buchstaben) drucken
letter
:letter bomb
n → Briefbombe f
letter box
n (Brit) → Briefkasten m
letter card
n → Briefkarte f
letter carrier
letter drop
n → Briefeinwurf m
letter
:letter jacket
n (US: Univ) Jacke, auf die die Initialen des besuchten Colleges gestickt sind
letter of credit
n → Kreditbrief m, → Akkreditiv nt
letter opener
n → Brieföffner m
letter-perfect
adj → textsicher, sicher im Text; to be letter → den Text perfekt beherrschen, den Text bis aufs Wort beherrschen
letterpress
n → Hochdruck m
letter quality
n (of printout) → Korrespondenz- or Briefqualität f, → Schönschrift f
letter-quality
adj script → korrespondenzfähig; printout → in Korrespondenz- or Briefqualität; letter printer → Schönschriftdrucker m
letter rack
n → Briefablage f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
letter
[ˈlɛtəʳ] na. (missive) → lettera
by letter → per lettera
letter of introduction/application/protest → lettera di presentazione/di domanda/di protesta
by letter → per lettera
letter of introduction/application/protest → lettera di presentazione/di domanda/di protesta
b. (of alphabet) → lettera
the letter G → la (lettera) G
small/capital letter → lettera minuscola/maiuscola
she's got a lot of letters after her name → ha un mucchio di titoli
the letter of the law (fig) → la lettera della legge
to follow instructions to the letter → seguire alla lettera le istruzioni
the letter G → la (lettera) G
small/capital letter → lettera minuscola/maiuscola
she's got a lot of letters after her name → ha un mucchio di titoli
the letter of the law (fig) → la lettera della legge
to follow instructions to the letter → seguire alla lettera le istruzioni
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
letter
(ˈletə) noun1. a mark expressing a sound. the letters of the alphabet.
2. a written message, especially sent by post in an envelope. She slowly took the letter from its envelope; Did you post my letter?
ˈlettering noun1. the way in which letters are formed. the art of lettering.
2. letters which have been drawn, painted etc. He repainted the lettering over the shop door.
ˈletterbox noun1. a slit in a door (sometimes with a box behind it) through which mail from the post is put. He put the card through the letterbox.
2. a postbox.
ˈletterhead noun the name and address of a company, a person etc printed at the top of a piece of writing paper.
to the letter precisely; according to every detail. He followed his father's instructions to the letter.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
letter
→ حَرْفٌ, رِسَالَةٌ dopis, písmeno bogstav, brev Brief, Buchstabe γράμμα, επιστολή carta, letra kirjain, kirje lettre pismo, slovo lettera 手紙, 文字 글자, 편지 brief, letter bokstav, brev list, litera carta, letra буква, письмо bokstav, brev จดหมาย, ตัวอักษร harf, mektup chữ cái, thư 信函, 字母Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
letter
n. letra; carta;
___ opener → abrecartas.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
- I'd like to send this letter
- I confirmed my reservation by letter (US)
I confirmed my booking by letter (UK)
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
letter
n carta; (of eye chart, etc.) letra; Do you want me to write a letter for you?..¿Quiere que le escriba una carta?English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.