text
7 synonyms and 0 antonyms for text, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Written words, especially the main body of a document, book, or message.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
How to use text
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin textus, "the style or texture of a piece of writing", literally "something woven", from texere, "to weave" — the same root gives us "texture".
Full origin of text →Frequently asked questions
What does “text” mean?
The word “text” means written words, especially the main body of a document, book, or message. In plain terms, written words in general, or specifically a short message sent by phone.
How do you pronounce “text”?
“Text” is pronounced tehkst (/tɛkst/ in IPA).
How do you use “text” in a sentence?
Here is “text” used in a sentence: “She highlighted the key passages of text in the report.”
What part of speech is “text”?
Depending on how it is used, “text” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “text” come from?
The word “text” comes from Latin. From Latin textus, "the style or texture of a piece of writing", literally "something woven", from texere, "to weave" — the same root gives us "texture".
Is “text” a common word?
“Text” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “text” have?
“Text” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: written words, especially the main body of a document, book, or message.
What is the difference between text and a document?
Text is the written words themselves — the language content. A document is the whole item that holds that text, along with its formatting, images, and layout. You can copy the text out of a document and leave its design behind. In short, text is the content; the document is the container.
What is the difference between text and font?
Text is the actual written words and their meaning. Font is the visual style in which those words appear — the shape, size, and design of the letters. The same text can be displayed in countless different fonts without changing a single word of what it says.
What are the types of text?
In writing, common categories include narrative (telling a story), descriptive, expository (explaining), persuasive, and instructional texts. In digital and everyday use, 'a text' also means a short electronic message sent between phones, while 'text' broadly means any body of written material.
What does text mean in a book?
In a book, the text is the main written content — the author's words — as distinct from the illustrations, footnotes, index, cover, or blank pages. Scholars also use 'the text' to mean the exact, authoritative wording of a work as it is studied and quoted.