Word
calligraphy
Phoneticscal·lig·ra·phy
US/kəˈɫɪɡɹəfi/
UK/kælˈɪɡɹəfi/
Definition
n. the art of beautiful handwriting using special pens or brushes. It is often used for formal invitations or artistic decorations.
n. the art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush. Often associated with historical manuscripts or formal ceremonial documents.
Examples
“She used calligraphy to write the wedding invitations.”
“The museum exhibit features ancient Chinese calligraphy painted on delicate silk scrolls.”
“While modern typography relies on digital precision, traditional calligraphy emphasizes the fluid movement of the hand and the varying pressure applied to the nib.”
Examples
simple
“She used calligraphy to write the wedding invitations.”
contextual
“The museum exhibit features ancient Chinese calligraphy painted on delicate silk scrolls.”
complex
“While modern typography relies on digital precision, traditional calligraphy emphasizes the fluid movement of the hand and the varying pressure applied to the nib.”
Usage
Typically used as an uncountable noun when referring to the art form itself.
Real-World Examples
“During the Muromachi period, Zen-related arts, including calligraphy, tea ceremony, flower arranging, martial arts and landscape gardening blossomed.” Etymology
Borrowed from French calligraphie, from Ancient Greek καλλιγραφία (kalligraphía, literally “pretty writing”), from κάλλος (kállos, “beauty”) + γράφω (gráphō, “to draw”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.