text
tehkst
Text (noun) means Written words, especially the main body of a document, book, or message. Example: “The text of the poster was too small to read from the road.”
noun
1
Written words, especially the main body of a document, book, or message.
"The text of the poster was too small to read from the road."
"Please read the whole text carefully before you answer the questions."
"She highlighted the key passages of text in the report."
2
A short written message sent between mobile phones.
"I got a text from my sister asking what time dinner was."
"Her phone buzzed with a text from the dentist's office."
"He sent a quick text to say he'd be late."
verb
1
To send a written message to someone via mobile phone.
"My dad still prefers to ring rather than text his friends."
"Text me when you land."
"They texted back and forth all afternoon."
How to use text
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWritten words in general, or specifically a short message sent by phone.
Common pairings
send a text
text message
body of text
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- texts
- Past tense
- texted
Fill the gap
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The _____ of the poster was too small to read from the road.
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".
Related words
Rhymes for text
See all rhymes for 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.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing text in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
Fake text-message generators exist because a screenshot of a conversation is now treated as evidence — which is exactly why a fabricated one spreads so easily.
From
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