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letter

letter

6 6.7
A cloth patch with a school's initial given to students for sports achievement
  • noun
  • /ˈlɛtər/
  • US
: insignia
  • He was so proud to get his letter in JV track. -[sheriff]

But I preferred the uniform with long hair and beads to no hair and a varsity letter sweater.

Examples

  • I would never change my style just because I have a letter on my jersey; that's just not productive.

    Academic text (2006)
  • My mother and father were so proud the day she got her letter.

  • Yeah, straight A's and a letter jacket.

  • The letter is for swimming, Madison Bell.

  • Additionally, Weil earned two letters in basketball and participated in baseball and track.

    Blog text (16)
  • On the team, I won several inter-school matches, along the way winning my varsity letter.

    Academic text (1991)
  • I wanted a letter in baseball for four years, and make the honor roll, go on to college on a scholarship, graduate, go to a farm system, and then on to the majors.

  • "C'mon, Darryl," Kevin said, his head buried in the collar of his green-and-gold letter jacket.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Mattie envied Laura's sweater with its many minor awards running down the sleeves and the letter glowing in the center.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • After years of hard work, Jamie finally earned his varsity letter in football.

Synonyms

award
vsletter
∞ 1.0

A prize given to someone for achievement or excellence

is a specific cloth initial prize used mainly in school sports
varsity letter
vsletter
  • US
2 4.4

An award made of cloth for students who play well on a school's main sports team

is the cloth initial prize used for school sports more generally

Idioms

to the letter
  • Formal
28 4.4

Act exactly as told, without changing any detail

Compounds

65 2.0

A written message that tells someone you have romantic feelings for them

four-letter word
  • Offensive
24 7.7

A rude or offensive word with four letters used to show anger

open letter
  • Literature
19 4.0

A letter written to one person but published for everyone to read to make people notice a problem

13 2.1

A small tool with a thin blade for cutting envelopes

13 2.5

A person who writes letters to send messages to other people

cover letter
  • Formal
13 3.5

A short letter you send with a job application to introduce yourself and say why you fit the job

A letter someone sends without saying who they are

scarlet letter
  • Literature
12 9.4

A mark that shows in public that someone is guilty and causes shame

11 4.8

A message that asks you to send it to many people, often as a scam

A written sign that stands for a sound in a language, like A or B

10 2.7

A message from someone who likes a famous person, showing praise or support

personal letter
  • Informal
10 1.0

A private written message sent to one person about personal matters

9 5.1

A written note that says a person or company plans to do something before a contract is signed

7 3.2

A letter sent to many people with the same text

5 2.3

A person who delivers mail and packages to homes and shops

letter bomb
  • Offensive
5 7.8

A small bomb hidden in an envelope that explodes when opened

4 7.6

An occasion like a wedding or graduation that you remember as very special

4 3.0

A single capital letter written clearly and not joined to other letters

red letter day
  • Informal
4 4.1

A day that is very special and makes people happy

3 7.7

A piece of mail that cannot be delivered or returned to the sender

A day you remember because it was very happy or important

A small letter of the alphabet that is not a capital

2 2.7

A formal letter from one company or person to another about business matters

2 4.4

An award made of cloth for students who play well on a school's main sports team

2 1.9

A letter that is not a capital letter

A large letter that you use at the start of a sentence or name

2 1.0

A box or slot at a house where mail is delivered

2 7.7

A law or rule that is no longer enforced

2 5.5

A bank document that promises to pay a seller if a buyer meets certain conditions

Exactly correct in every word, matching the original text

1 1.0

Paper in a common size used for writing letters

An honest written message that shows strong feelings

black letter
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A heavy old-style print with thick sharp letters used in early books

1 1.8

A public box where people put letters for the post to collect

A large letter that begins names and sentences

crank letter
  • Offensive
1 8.6

A letter sent anonymously to threaten or upset someone

1 9.9

Official government permission for a private ship to capture enemy ships and cargo

1 9.9

A thin cover worn on the penis during sex to prevent pregnancy and infection

1 3.4

A formal letter praising someone for an important success

1 2.6

A formal letter that praises someone's success or achievement

1 8.5

An anonymous letter that says cruel things to hurt someone

1 1.8

A numbered box at a post office that people rent to receive mail

1 9.9

A letter the pope sends to all Catholic bishops about Church teaching or practice

1 7.7

A letter saying the buyer will keep shares and not sell them soon

night letter
  • Archaic
1 9.3

A telegram sent at night to arrive the next day for less money

air letter
  • Archaic
1 6.4

A lightweight sheet that folds into its own envelope to send by air mail

A letter sent by air to another country so it arrives faster

An unsigned angry letter written to hurt or insult someone

A government paper that lets a private ship owner capture enemy ships and goods during war

runic letter
  • Literature
1 9.9

A letter from an old Germanic alphabet used long ago in northern Europe

letter telegram
  • Archaic
1 8.2

A cheaper written message sent abroad and delivered the next day

market letter
  • Jargon
1 6.2

A short report that gives news and advice about the stock market

letter stock
  • Specialized
1 8.9

Shares not registered with the government that cannot be sold to the public

1 5.6

A bank's written promise to pay a seller for goods when required papers arrive

A short rude English word of four letters that insults someone

9.9

A formal way of writing legal rules using very exact words

A short letter that you send with other documents to explain them

Letter of Jeremiah
  • Literature
9.9

A short religious letter warning Jews in Babylon not to worship idols

letter bond
  • Specialized
9.9

A loan not registered with the government and sold only to certain buyers

letter security
  • Specialized
9.4

A stock or bond not registered with the government that cannot be sold in public markets

polyphonic letter
  • Specialized
9.8

A letter that has two or more sounds in different words

A bank paper that lets a person get money while traveling abroad

6.0

A letter that shows too much love or strong feelings

Surface Forms

letter singular
letters plural

Etymology

The school award called a letter comes from the same word for a written sign, because students used to sew a cloth 'letter' (the school's initial) onto jackets; that's why the word now means that honor.