letter
LEH-tuh
Letter (noun) means a written symbol representing a sound of a language, used to build words; one character of the alphabet. Example: “The letter Q is usually followed by the letter U in English.”
noun
1
A written symbol representing a sound of a language, used to build words; one character of the alphabet.
"The letter Q is usually followed by the letter U in English."
"Children learn to recognise each letter before they start reading."
"The word "cat" has three letters."
2
A written message sent from one person to another, usually by post.
"I received a handwritten letter from my aunt this morning."
"She wrote a long letter to her grandmother every month."
"The company sent a letter confirming the job offer."
How to use letter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a single character of the alphabet, or a written message sent to someone.
Common pairings
a letter of the alphabet
write a letter
a cover letter
to the letter
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Word forms
- Plural
- letters
- Third person singular
- letters
- Past tense
- lettered
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The _____ Q is usually followed by the letter U in English.
Etymology
From Old French lettre, from Latin littera, meaning both "letter of the alphabet" and, in the plural, "written message."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for letter
See all rhymes for letter →Frequently asked questions
What does “letter” mean?
The word “letter” means a written symbol representing a sound of a language, used to build words; one character of the alphabet. In plain terms, either a single character of the alphabet, or a written message sent to someone.
How do you pronounce “letter”?
“Letter” is pronounced LEH-tuh (/ˈlɛtɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “letter” in a sentence?
Here is “letter” used in a sentence: “The word "cat" has three letters.”
What part of speech is “letter”?
“Letter” is a noun.
Where does the word “letter” come from?
The word “letter” comes from Latin. From Old French lettre, from Latin littera, meaning both "letter of the alphabet" and, in the plural, "written message.".
Is “letter” a common word?
“Letter” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “letter” have?
“Letter” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a written symbol representing a sound of a language, used to build words; one character of the alphabet.
What is the difference between a letter and a sound?
A letter is a written symbol you can see on the page, while a sound, or phoneme, is what you hear when speaking. The two do not always match one-to-one: a single letter can stand for several sounds, and one sound can be spelled with different letters or letter combinations.
How many letters are in the English alphabet?
The modern English alphabet has 26 letters, running from A to Z. These are traditionally split into five vowels, A, E, I, O and U, and 21 consonants, with the letter Y sometimes acting as a vowel. Each letter also has an uppercase and a lowercase form.
What is the difference between a letter and a word?
A letter is a single character of the alphabet, the smallest building block of written language. A word is a meaningful unit built from one or more letters. So 'a' happens to be both a letter and a word, while 'cat' is one word made from three separate letters.
What are vowels and consonants?
They are the two types of letters in the alphabet. Vowels, A, E, I, O and U, are made with an open vocal tract and usually form the core of a syllable. Consonants are all the other letters, produced by partly blocking the airflow. Most words combine both kinds.
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