Letters Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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letters
[ˈlɛtərz ]
Definitions
written communication
Letters are symbols or characters that are used to represent speech sounds. They are used in alphabets, words, and sentences to convey meaning.
Synonyms
alphabets, characters, symbols.
Examples of usage
- She wrote a letter to her friend.
- The word 'cat' is made up of three letters.
correspondence
Letters are written messages that are sent to someone. They can be formal or informal and are often used for communication.
Synonyms
communication, correspondence, message.
Examples of usage
- I received a letter from my grandmother.
- The company sent a letter of recommendation to the employee.
literal symbol
Letters can also refer to the literal symbols used in writing or printing. They can be uppercase or lowercase and are part of the alphabet.
Synonyms
alphabets, characters, symbols.
Examples of usage
- The book was printed in large letters for easy reading.
- The sign had bold letters that caught my attention.
Translations
To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.
Interesting Facts
Communication
- Letters are fundamental for written communication, allowing people to share ideas and stories across distances and time.
- The invention of the printing press in the 15th century revolutionized how letters were used in books, making them accessible to many.
- Digital communication has introduced new forms of letters, such as emojis, transforming how we express emotions in writing.
Literature
- In literature, a letter can refer to a character's written communication, often uncovering personal thoughts and emotions.
- Famous novels like 'Les Misérables' and 'Pride and Prejudice' use letters to advance the plot and develop relationships between characters.
- Letters have inspired entire genres, including epistolary novels where the story is told through the correspondence between characters.
Education
- Learning letters is one of the first steps in reading and writing, helping children understand language structure.
- Phonemic awareness, developed through letters, is essential for literacy and language acquisition in early childhood education.
- Teaching letters often includes fun activities like singing the alphabet song, which helps with memorization.
Cultural Significance
- In different cultures, letters can hold various symbolic meanings, representing everything from love (love letters) to sadness (farewell letters).
- Some countries have unique scripts and letters that reflect their language's history and aesthetics, such as Japanese Kanji or Arabic script.
- The art of calligraphy celebrates letters' visual beauty, turning written characters into intricate works of art.
Origin of 'letters'
Main points about word origin
- The word 'letter' comes from the Latin word 'littera', meaning a single character of the alphabet.
- Old English used the word 'bocwrit', literally meaning 'book writing', indicating the importance of letters in writing.
- In ancient scripts, letters evolved from pictographs where images represented objects, gradually transforming into abstract symbols.
The word 'letters' originated from the Old French word 'lettre', which in turn came from the Latin word 'littera'. The concept of using symbols to represent speech sounds dates back to ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians and Egyptians, who developed writing systems based on symbols. Over time, alphabets were created with a set of letters representing specific sounds. Letters have played a crucial role in communication and literacy throughout history, evolving from pictograms to the complex written language systems we use today.
See also: lettering, unlettered.