letter
a written message addressed to a person or organization
How often you will meet it
Rank 322 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 62,666 times across 155,370 chapters — 0.030% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 500 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
noun
- a written message addressed to a person or organization also: missive mailed an indignant letter to the editor
- the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech also: letter of the alphabet, alphabetic character his grandmother taught him his letters
- owner who lets another person use something (housing usually) for hire
- a strictly literal interpretation (as distinct from the intention) he followed instructions to the letterhe obeyed the letter of the law
- an award earned by participation in a school sport also: varsity letter he won letters in three sports
verb
- win an athletic letter
- set down or print with letters
- mark letters on or mark with letters
letter in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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The grand prior opened the letter and read it.
A Knight of the White Cross · G. A. (George Alfred) Henty · Chapter 1
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The letter was produced and read to the shamefaced Johnny.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1
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Your letter was indeed a great trouble, and some comfort, to me and your poor mother.
Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded · Samuel Richardson · Chapter 1
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I persisted for a fortnight, and failing to see any, wrote an angry letter to my publishers.
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1
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The same programme of hanging, then shooting bullets into the lifeless bodies was carried out to the letter.
The Red Record Tabulated Statistics · Ida B. Wells-Barnett · Chapter 1