letter

Reading level: easy

Estimated CEFR level: A1 — Beginner

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a written message addressed to a person or organization
  2. noun the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech
  3. noun owner who lets another person use something (housing usually) for hire

Etymology

From Middle English letter, lettre, from Old French letre, from Latin littera (“letter of the alphabet"; in plural, "epistle”). Displaced Old English bōcstæf (literally “book staff”) in sense 1 and ǣrendġewrit (literally “message writing”) in sense 2.

In classic literature

Synonyms

missive

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