letter
[noun]
Synonyms:
- character, sign, symbol
- message, communication, dispatch, epistle, line, missive, note

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Related Words: dispatch, memorandum, message, report

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. let‧ter¹ S1 W1 /ˈletə $ -ər/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: lettre, from Latin littera]

1. a written or printed message that is usually put in an envelope and sent by mail
letter from/to
I got a letter from Melanie today.
Bart’s writing a letter to his parents. ⇒ chain letter, letter of credit, open letter

2. a sign in writing or printing that represents a speech sound:
There are 26 letters in the English alphabet.
Fill in the form in capital letters (=written in their large form). ⇒ block letters

3. to the letter paying exact attention to the details of something:
I followed the instructions to the letter, but it still wouldn’t work.

4. the letter of the law the exact words of a law or agreement rather than the intended or general meaning:
employees who stick to the letter of the law in their contracts ⇒ the spirit of the law at spirit¹(11)

5. American English a large cloth letter that you sew onto a jacket, given as a reward for playing in a school or college sports team:
Mark got a letter in soccer.

6. English/American/German etc letters [plural] formal the study of the literature of a particular country or language:
a major figure in English letters
⇒ dead letter, man of letters

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. letter² verb

1. [transitive usually passive] to write, draw, paint etc letters or words on something:
The card was neatly lettered P.A. DUFFY.
letter something in something
Several pages are lettered in gold.

2. [intransitive] American English to earn a letter¹(5) in a sport
letter in
He lettered in basketball at Brandeis.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

letter
noun
I. written/printed message
ADJ. lengthy, long | brief, short | ten-page, etc. | rambling | countless, endless, numerous She received countless letters of support while in jail.
occasional Apart from the occasional letter, they had not been in touch for years.
incoming The porter distributes incoming letters to the offices.
urgent | airmail | handwritten | anonymous | formal, official | business | personal | confidential, private | open, public The editor published an open letter to the prime minister.
circular | chain | form, standard | specimen | accompanying, covering, explanatory The conditions are explained in the accompanying letter. Send your CV with a covering letter.
thank-you I wrote my uncle a thank-you letter as soon as I opened the present.
congratulatory | warning | rejection I've had job interviews and received ten rejection letters. | resignation | suicide | fan | love | affectionate, intimate | charming, delightful | chatty, cheerful, friendly | heartfelt, impassioned She wrote an impassioned letter to her local newspaper to complain about the new road.
courteous, polite | apologetic | angry, rude, strong, strongly-worded, threatening | indignant | critical | frank | poison pen He had been sending poison pen letters to his neighbours, hoping to make them move away.
VERB + LETTER draft, write drafting an angry letter to the newspaper
read | get, have, receive I haven't had a letter from her for ages.
post, send | fax | deliver | forward The letter was forwarded from my old address.
register | seal | open | acknowledge, answer, reply to, respond to I was angry that they didn't even acknowledge my letter. | address The letter was addressed to me.
sign | publish The newspaper refused to publish the letter.
LETTER + VERB arrive, come, reach sb I hope my last letter has reached you.
be dated … The letter is dated 7 July.
cross Our letters crossed in the post.
be lost, go astray | announce sth, ask (sb) sth, begin, start (off) The letter started off by thanking us for our offer.
continue, go on His letter wen | conclude, end The letter concluded with a threat of possible legal action.
contain sth The letter contained information that only the killer could know.
enclose sth The charity received an anonymous letter enclosing a large cheque.
appear A letter headed ‘Advertising Mania’ appeared in the paper.
LETTER + NOUN writing | box The postman put a bundle of letters through the letter box.
bomb
PREP. by ~ Please reply by letter.
in a/the ~ In your letter of 5 June …
~ about/concerning/regarding, ~ from, ~ of a letter of application/apology
~ to a letter to the editor

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

letter
II. sign that represents a sound in a language
ADJ. big, large | block, capital, upper-case Fill in the form in block letters.
lower-case, small | bold | initial The company's name is made from the initial letters of his children's names.
double Words with double letters, such as ‘accommodation’, are commonly misspelt.
silent words such as ‘debt’ and ‘half’, which contain silent letters
PREP. in … ~s His name was written in large white letters over the doorway.
PHRASES the letters of the alphabet

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

letter

get a letter (also receive a letter formal)
I got a letter from my mother.
write a letter
He wrote a letter inviting her to visit.
send a letter
The school sent a letter to all the children’s parents.
post a letter British English, mail a letter American English
Could you post this letter for me?
answer a letter/reply to a letter
I never answered his letter.
open a letter
Bill opened the letter and read it.
read a letter
May I read her letter?
a letter comes/arrives
A letter came for you today.
a letter is addressed to somebody (=has their name and address on the envelope)
The letter was addressed to Mr. John Appleby.
long/short
She was thrilled to get a long letter from her son.
formal/informal
The letter sounded very formal.
a personal letter
I don’t want him reading my personal letters.
a business letter
In business letters you often use phrases such as ‘I would be grateful if ...’.
an official letter
I received an official letter thanking me for my enquiry.
a love letter
The book had a copy of a love letter from King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn.
a thank-you letter
Mum made me write thank-you letters for all my birthday presents.
a covering letter British English, a cover letter American English (=that you send with your CV to an employer)
Always enclose a cover letter with your resume.
a letter of thanks/introduction/complaint etc
I finally got a letter of apology from the company.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

letter
ˈletə
See: chain letter , night letter , to the letter

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲