lettering

[ let-er-ing ]

/ ˈlɛt ər ɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR lettering ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or process of inscribing with or making letters.

the letters in an inscription; calligraphy.

Origin of lettering

First recorded in 1635–45; letter¹ + -ing¹

Words nearby lettering

letterboxing, lettered, letterer-siwe disease, letterform, letterhead, lettering, letterman, letterpress, letters, letters of administration, letters of credence

Definition for lettering (2 of 2)

letter ¹

[ let-er ]

/ ˈlɛt ər /

noun

a written or printed communication addressed to a person or organization and usually transmitted by mail.

a symbol or character that is conventionally used in writing and printing to represent a speech sound and that is part of an alphabet.

a piece of printing type bearing such a symbol or character.

a particular style of type.

such types collectively.

Often letters. a formal document granting a right or privilege.

actual terms or wording; literal meaning, as distinct from implied meaning or intent (opposed to spirit): the letter of the law.

letters, (used with a singular or plural verb)

literature in general.
the profession of literature.
learning; knowledge, especially of literature.

an emblem consisting of the initial or monogram of a school, awarded to a student for extracurricular activity, especially in athletics.

verb (used with object)

to mark or write with letters; inscribe.

verb (used without object)

to earn a letter in an interscholastic or intercollegiate activity, especially a sport: He lettered in track at Harvard.

Origin of letter

1175–1225; Middle English, variant of lettre < Old French < Latin littera alphabetic character, in plural, epistle, literature

SYNONYMS FOR letter

8 See literature.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR letter ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM letter

let·ter·er, noun let·ter·less, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH letter

letter lighter liter litter

Example sentences from the Web for lettering

But among reams of waterlogged documents, troops wading in water four feet deep spotted Hebrew lettering among the Arabic.

Saddam’s Jewish Treasures |Josh Robin |February 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He wanted to look at my sheath knife, and when I handed it he seen the lettering "Green River" on the blade.

A Man in the Open |Roger Pocock
Amzi wrote slowly, in a large round hand, beginning immediately under the "First National Bank" lettering.

Otherwise Phyllis |Meredith Nicholson
There was lettering, too, upon the undermost side when the man turned it over.

Brother Copas |Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

Sometimes the lettering is so fine that it could have been done only with the aid of a lens, and it cannot be read without one.

The World's Progress, Vol. I (of X) |Various
The lettering should be as plain and as free from any sort of embellishment as it well can be.

Manners and Rules of Good Society |Anonymous

British Dictionary definitions for lettering (1 of 2)

lettering

/ (ˈlɛtərɪŋ) /

noun

the act, art, or technique of inscribing letters on to something

the letters so inscribed

British Dictionary definitions for lettering (2 of 2)

letter

/ (ˈlɛtə) /

noun

any of a set of conventional symbols used in writing or printing a language, each symbol being associated with a group of phonetic values in the language; character of the alphabet

a written or printed communication addressed to a person, company, etc, usually sent by post in an envelope Related adjective: epistolary

the letter the strict legalistic or pedantic interpretation of the meaning of an agreement, document, etc; exact wording as distinct from actual intention (esp in the phrase the letter of the law) Compare spirit 1 (def. 10)

printing archaic a style of typeface a fancy letter

to the letter

following the literal interpretation or wording exactly
attending to every detail

verb

to write or mark letters on (a sign, etc), esp by hand

(tr) to set down or print using letters

Derived forms of letter

letterer, noun

Word Origin for letter

C13: from Old French lettre, from Latin littera letter of the alphabet

Idioms and Phrases with lettering

letter

In addition to the idiom beginning with letter

letter of the law

also see:

bread and butter letter
crank call (letter)
dead letter
four-letter word
poison-pen letter
red-letter day
to the letter

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lettering

noun

Origin of lettering

Words nearby lettering

Definition for lettering (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of letter

SYNONYMS FOR letter

OTHER WORDS FROM letter

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH letter

Example sentences from the Web for lettering

British Dictionary definitions for lettering (1 of 2)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for lettering (2 of 2)

noun

verb

Derived forms of letter

Word Origin for letter

Idioms and Phrases with lettering

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lettering

noun

Origin of lettering

Words nearby lettering

Definition for lettering (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of letter

SYNONYMS FOR letter

OTHER WORDS FROM letter

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH letter

Words related to lettering

Example sentences from the Web for lettering

British Dictionary definitions for lettering (1 of 2)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for lettering (2 of 2)

noun

verb

Derived forms of letter

Word Origin for letter

Idioms and Phrases with lettering