Dictionary entry details
• LETTER (noun)
Meaning:
A written message addressed to a person or organization
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
letter; missive
Context example:
mailed an indignant letter to the editor
Hypernyms ("letter" is a kind of...):
document (anything serving as a representation of a person's thinking by means of symbolic marks)
text; textual matter (the words of something written)
Meronyms (parts of "letter"):
postscript; PS (a note appended to a letter after the signature)
address; destination; name and 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)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "letter"):
round robin (a letter signed by a number of people)
invitation (a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something)
letter of intent (any letter expressing an intention to take (or forgo) some action)
dead letter; dead mail (mail that can neither be delivered nor returned)
epistle (a specially long, formal letter)
aerogram; aerogramme; air letter; airmail letter (a letter sent by air mail)
pastoral (a letter from a pastor to the congregation)
chain letter (a letter that is sent successively to several people)
open letter (a letter of protest; addressed to one person but intended for the general public)
form letter (a letter that is printed in multiple copies and mailed to a list of recipients)
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)
Holonyms ("letter" is a part of...):
mail (the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service)
correspondence (communication by the exchange of letters)
Meaning:
The conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
letter of the alphabet; alphabetic character; letter
Context example:
his grandmother taught him his letters
Hypernyms ("letter" is a kind of...):
character; grapheme; graphic symbol (a written symbol that is used to represent speech)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "letter"):
chi; khi (the 22nd 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)
phi (the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet)
upsilon (the 20th letter of the Greek alphabet)
tau (the 19th 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)
waw (the 6th letter of the Hebrew alphabet)
zayin (the 7th letter of the Hebrew alphabet)
heth (the 8th letter of the Hebrew alphabet)
qoph (the 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet)
resh (the 20th letter of the Hebrew alphabet)
sin (the 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet)
shin (the 22nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet)
taw (the 23rd letter of the Hebrew alphabet)
polyphone; polyphonic letter (a letter that has two or more pronunciations)
block capital; block letter (a plain hand-drawn letter)
vowel (a letter of the alphabet standing for a spoken vowel)
sadhe (the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet)
pe (the 17th 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)
consonant (a letter of the alphabet standing for a spoken consonant)
kappa (the 10th letter of the Greek alphabet)
ascender (a lowercase letter that has a part extending above other lowercase letters)
letter n; N (the 14th letter of the Roman alphabet)
letter m; M (the 13th letter of the Roman alphabet)
L; letter l (the 12th letter of the Roman alphabet)
K; letter k (the 11th letter of the Roman alphabet)
J; letter j (the 10th letter of the Roman alphabet)
I; letter i (the 9th letter of the Roman alphabet)
H; letter h (the 8th letter of the Roman alphabet)
G; letter g (the 7th letter of the Roman alphabet)
F; letter f (the 6th letter of the Roman alphabet)
E; letter e (the 5th letter of the Roman alphabet)
D; letter d (the 4th letter of the Roman alphabet)
C; letter c (the 3rd letter of the Roman alphabet)
B; letter b (the 2nd letter of the Roman alphabet)
A; letter a (the 1st letter of the Roman alphabet)
initial (the first letter of a word (especially a person's name))
digram; digraph (two successive letters (especially two letters used to represent a single sound: 'sh' in 'shoe'))
descender (a lowercase letter that has a part extending below other lowercase letters)
letter o; O (the 15th letter of the Roman alphabet)
letter p; P (the 16th letter of the Roman alphabet)
letter q; Q (the 17th letter of the Roman 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)
alpha (the 1st letter of the Greek alphabet)
ezed; izzard; letter z; Z; zed; zee (the 26th letter of the Roman alphabet)
letter r; R (the 18th letter of the Roman alphabet)
letter s; S (the 19th letter of the Roman alphabet)
letter t; T (the 20th letter of the Roman alphabet)
letter u; U (the 21st letter of the Roman alphabet)
letter v; V (the 22nd letter of the Roman alphabet)
double-u; letter w; W (the 23rd letter of the Roman alphabet)
ex; letter x; X (the 24th letter of the Roman alphabet)
letter y; wye; Y (the 25th letter of the Roman alphabet)
Holonyms ("letter" is a part of...):
spelling (forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage)
Holonyms ("letter" is a member of...):
alphabet (a character set that includes letters and is used to write a language)
Meaning:
A strictly literal interpretation (as distinct from the intention)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Context examples:
he followed instructions to the letter / he obeyed the letter of the law
Hypernyms ("letter" is a kind of...):
literal interpretation (an interpretation based on the exact wording)
Meaning:
An award earned by participation in a school sport
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
varsity letter; letter
Context example:
he won letters in three sports
Hypernyms ("letter" is a kind of...):
accolade; award; honor; honour; laurels (a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction)
Meaning:
Owner who lets another person use something (housing usually) for hire
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Hypernyms ("letter" is a kind of...):
owner; proprietor ((law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business)
• LETTER (verb)
Meaning:
Win an athletic letter
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Hypernyms (to "letter" is one way to...):
earn; garner (acquire or deserve by one's efforts or actions)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Set down or print with letters
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Hypernyms (to "letter" is one way to...):
impress; print (reproduce by printing)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Mark letters on or mark with letters
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Hypernyms (to "letter" is one way to...):
write (mark or trace on a surface)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
