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Glite Dictionary
ABC's

ABC's

1.0
The set of letters children learn to read and spell
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪˈbiˈsiːz/
translation icon : abecedario
  • Children usually learn their ABC's before they start reading.

Examples

  • Can you recite the ABC's?

  • The teacher sang the ABC's with her kindergarten class.

  • Children usually learn their ABC's before they start reading.

  • He had trouble reciting his ABC's at first, but soon he memorized them.

  • The teacher taught the ABC's to the children.

  • He had trouble reciting his ABC's at first, but soon he memorized them.

  • The teacher sang the ABC's with her kindergarten class.

Synonyms

alphabet
vsABC's
72 1.0

A set of letters in a fixed order for writing a language

means the simple set of letters used to write and spell words
ABC
vsABC's
7 1.0

The basic letters of a language in their usual order

focuses on letters as the general set used to write and spell words
ABCs
vsABC's
2 1.0

The set of letters used for reading and writing, taught to children

has identical meaning but is used in plural informal contexts

Surface Forms

ABC's singular
ABC's plural

Morphology

ABC's = ABC (transparent) = A + B + C + s

The form is a plural suffix on the letter sequence 'ABC', directly indicating multiple letters; learners who know 'ABC' will readily understand 'ABC's' as the letters.

Etymology

The ABC's name comes from the first two letters of the old Greek alphabet, alpha and beta, and those names gave us the word alphabet, so ABC's means 'the letters' you use to write and spell words.