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Synonyms

letter

1 American  
[let-er] / ˈlɛt ər /

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. (used with a singular or plural verb) letters,

    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.

idioms

  1. to the letter, to the last particular; precisely.

    His orders were carried out to the letter.
letter 2 American  
[let-er] / ˈlɛt ər /

noun

Chiefly British.

  1. a person who lets, especially one who rents out property.

letter British  
/ 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

  3. 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

    1. following the literal interpretation or wording exactly

    2. attending to every detail

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to write or mark letters on (a sign, etc), esp by hand

  2. (tr) to set down or print using letters

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
letter More Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing letter

Related Words

See literature.

Other Word Forms

  • letterer noun
  • letterless adjective

Etymology

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. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The lovely, funny “American Classic,” premiering Sunday on MGM+, is a love letter to theater, community and community theater.

From Los Angeles Times

The building with a red-brick facade and bright green letters anchors a small shopping center in the suburban area.

From The Wall Street Journal

Abel wrote in his letter that “equity investments are fundamental to our capital allocation activities.”

From Barron's

In an open letter, he pointed to perks such as $2 hot meals for employees.

From The Wall Street Journal

Since 2024, the attorney general’s office has sent letters to 18 law enforcement agencies, including the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, the San Diego Police Department and the El Centro Police Department.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.