# letters

/ˈɫɛtɝz/ (US) · /lˈɛtəz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/letters
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. alphabet symbols

noun · CEFR A1

the symbols used in writing and printing to represent sounds.

For teachers: the individual characters of an alphabet used in a writing system.

- The child was proud that he could already write all the letters of his name.
- The inscription was difficult to read because several letters had been worn away by centuries of exposure to the wind and rain.

### 2. written messages

noun · CEFR A1

written messages that you send to someone, usually in an envelope.

For teachers: written or printed communications addressed to a person or organisation, typically sent by post.

- She kept all the old letters her grandfather had sent her from overseas.
- The historian spent months in the archives, meticulously cataloguing the private letters exchanged between the two diplomats during the crisis.

### 3. literature and learning

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

knowledge of literature and the arts.

For teachers: the world of literature, scholarship, and the humanities; often used in the phrase 'man or woman of letters'.

- He was a man of letters who spent his life studying ancient poetry.
- Her contribution to the world of letters was recognised with a lifetime achievement award for her essays on contemporary philosophy.

## Examples

- She writes long letters to her grandmother every month.
- The historian spent years reading the private letters exchanged between the two world leaders during the war.
- The collection includes several unpublished letters that provide a rare glimpse into the author's creative process and personal struggles.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.