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letter¹ Definition

let·ter (let′ər)

noun

  1. a written or printed symbol employed to represent a speech sound or sounds; character in an alphabet: in some languages, as English, some words contain letters that are no longer sounded
  2. a written or printed message to a person or group, usually sent by mail in an envelope
  3. an official document giving certain authorities or privileges: usually used in pl.
    1. literature generally
    2. learning; knowledge, esp. of literature
  5. strict interpretation of the literal meaning, or the literal meaning itself; exact wording
  6. ☆ a cloth representation of the first letter of the name of a school or college, awarded and worn for superior performance in sports, etc.
  7. Printing
    1. a type, impression, or photographic reproduction of a character of the alphabet
    2. a particular style of type

Etymology: ME lettre < OFr < L littera, letter of the alphabet, (in pl.) a letter, epistle

transitive verb

  1. to make hand-printed letters on; mark with letters to letter a poster
  2. to set down in hand-printed letters to letter one's name

intransitive verb

  1. to make hand-printed letters
  2. ☆ Informal to earn a school letter as in a sport

letter¹ Related Forms
let′·terer noun
letter¹ Idioms

to the letter

just as written or directed; precisely

letter² Definition

let·ter (let′ər)

noun

a person who lets, or rents out, property

letter Synonyms

letter

n.

  1. A unit of the alphabet

    character, digraph, diphthong, capital, cap*, upper case, lower case, LC*, l.c.*, small letter, majuscule.*, minuscule.*, rune.*, uncial.*, alphabet.*, logotype.*, ligature; see also consonant, vowel.

    The Greek letters are: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, eta, theta, iota, kappa, lambda, mu, nu, xi, omicron, pi, rho, sigma, tau, upsilon, phi, chi, psi, omega.

  2. A written communication

    note, epistle, missive, message, billet*, memorandum*, report*, line*; see also word 3.

    Types of letters include: business, form, circular, drop, open, chain, cover, fan, love, personal; letter of credit, letter of resignation, billet-doux, postcard, postal, direct mail advertising, junk mail*.

to the letter

just as written, just as directed, perfectly, precisely; see exactly.

letter Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • alphabet: Send us your suggestions for missing letters of the alphabet.
  • resignation: He had given a commitment in his letter of resignation to support the new Secretary of State.
  • objection: The fact that a letter of objection is received does not mean that the application will automatically be refused.
  • congratulation: We received a standing ovation and a personal letter of congratulation on behalf of the King.
  • complaint: I did not receive a reply to my letter of complaint.

Converse of object

  • write: During the SATs the students were expected to write a letter from an owl's point of view.
  • send: We will be sending a letter to you all nearer the time giving you full details.
  • receive: We have received nearly 2,000 letters at City Hall which are running 3 to 1 in my support.
  • cover: Contact: Please send your CV with a covering letter.
  • date: This information was conveyed to Mr Q in a letter dated 21 August.

Noun used with modifier

  • capital: Write your answer in capital letters on the answer sheet.
  • indemnity: Indemnity Letter to the Nominees, Declaration of Trust from the Nominee Shareholder.
  • referral: The Ombudsman found that parts of the consultant's referral letter to social services were open to misinterpretation.
  • confirmation: A confirmation letter will be sent to your e-mail address when the transaction is finished.
  • rejection: Do not be put off if you receive some rejection letters.
  • chain: It is a few steps above a chain letter.

Adjective modifier

  • undated: We will also include pre-signed, undated letters of resignation from nominee director, plus Notarised and Apostilled copy of Nominee Director ' passport.
  • lowercase: It is also the height of the body of lowercase letters in a font, excluding the ascenders and descenders.

Preposition: in

  • alphabet: Today I have been in existence for exactly the same number of years as there are letters in the Latin alphabet.
  • gilt: Original cherry-red cloth, blocked in black, lettered in gilt on spine.
letter Quotes

It isgenerally better to deal by speech than by letter.

—Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

It was a saying of an ancient philosopher, which I find some of our writers have ascribed to Queen Elizabeth, who perhapsmight havetakenoccasionto repeat it, that a good face is a letter of recommendation.

—Addison,Joseph

You don't knowa womanuntil you have had a letter from her.

—Leverson, Ada

I had written him a letter which I had, for want of better Knowledge, sent to where I met him, down the Lachlan, years ago. He was shearing when I knew him, so I sent the letter to him, Just 'on spec', addressed as follows: 'Clancy, of the Overflow'. And an answer came directed in a writing unexpected, (And I think the same was written with a thumbnail dipped in tar) 'Twas his shearing mate who wrote it, and verbatim I will quote it: 'Clancy's gone to Queensland droving, and we don't know where he are.'

—Paterson, Banjo (Andrew Barton)

He thought he saw an Elephant, That practised on a fife: He looked again, and found it was A letter from his wife. 'At length I realize,' he said 'The bitterness of life!'

—Dodgson

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hathmade us ableministers of thenew testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

—Bible (NewTestament)

A lone letter from a young man: that is fame.

—Berryman,John originally John Allyn Smith

Je n'ai fait plus longue que parce queje n'ai pas eu le loisir de la faire plus courte. I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had the time to make it shorter.

—Pascal, Blaise

Next to a letter from home,Captain Miller, your organization is the greatest morale builder in the ETO.

—Doolittle,James Harold

See what a large letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

—Bible (NewTestament)

Life is too precious to be spent in this weaving and unweaving of false impressions, and it is better to live quietly under some degree of misrepresentation than to attempt to remove it by the uncertain process of letter- writing.

—Eliot, George pseudonym of  MaryAnn Evans

Dear Prue, If a servant I sent last night got to Hampton-court, you received 29 walnuts and a letter from me. I inclose the Gazette; and am, with all my soul, Your passionate lover, and faithful husband,

—Stein, Gertrude