First letter Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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first letter

[fɜːst ˈlɛtər ]

Definition

^{Context #1 | Noun}

communication

The initial letter of a word or name. It is often written in uppercase at the beginning of a sentence.

Synonyms

capital letter, initial letter.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
first letter	Redundant entry for the phrase. The first letter of her name is J. Early learning books often teach children to recognize the first letters of words.
initial letter	Use when focusing on the first letter of each word in a phrase or series of words, often in the context of abbreviations or initials. The initial letters of 'National Aeronautics and Space Administration' are NASA. Please highlight the initial letters of each word.
capital letter	Use when specifying that a letter should be uppercase or when discussing proper nouns, titles, or the beginning of sentences. Your name should start with a capital letter. Every new sentence begins with a capital letter.

Word

Description / Examples

first letter

Redundant entry for the phrase.

The first letter of her name is J.
Early learning books often teach children to recognize the first letters of words.

initial letter

Use when focusing on the first letter of each word in a phrase or series of words, often in the context of abbreviations or initials.

The initial letters of 'National Aeronautics and Space Administration' are NASA.
Please highlight the initial letters of each word.

capital letter

Use when specifying that a letter should be uppercase or when discussing proper nouns, titles, or the beginning of sentences.

Your name should start with a capital letter.
Every new sentence begins with a capital letter.

Examples of usage

The first letter of the word 'apple' is A.
When writing a formal letter, always start with the first letter of your name in uppercase.
She recognized him by the first letter of his last name.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Education

Learning the first letter helps children read and write by connecting sounds to letters.
In phonics, identifying the first letter of a word aids in understanding how letters form words and their sounds.

Cultural Significance

In many languages, names are often abbreviated to their first letter, like 'J' for John or 'M' for Maria.
The first letter in an alphabet often holds significance in various cultures, being used for rankings or grades.

Linguistics

Phonemic awareness, important in literacy, begins with recognizing the first letter of a word.
Different languages have unique alphabets, and their first letters can influence how words are formed.

Pop Culture

In literature, authors sometimes use the first letter of a character's name as a significant symbol or motif.
Initials, made up of the first letters of names, are commonly used in branding and merchandise.

Origin of 'first letter'

Main points about word origin

The word 'alphabet' comes from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet: alpha and beta.
In Latin, the word 'littera' means 'letter', showing that letters have been important in language for a long time.

The term 'first letter' originated in the late 14th century from Middle English. It refers to the initial letter of a word or name, which is often capitalized at the beginning of a sentence for clarity and emphasis. The use of first letters has been a common practice in written communication for centuries, aiding in readability and identification of key terms. Today, first letters play a crucial role in typography and digital text formatting.