block letter
4
3.0
- noun
- /blɑk ˈlɛtər/
- The swinging sign that said LAUNDRY in big block letters no longer swings above the door since it fell down during a storm.
- written in block letters
- big block letters
- red block letters
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Watch on YouTubeThere was a note shoved under their front door in child block letters.
- There was a note shoved under their front door in child block letters.
Examples
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Another guest holds up a bumper sticker with "ALEXANDER FOR PRESIDENT" printed in large block letters.
Fiction book (1993) -
"Below, in careful block letters, my son has written, 'When a raindrop falls to earth, it must hurt.'
Fiction book (1996) -
Instead, I leave my tag blank except for the block letters of my name.
Fiction book (1998) -
And she would draw K's and like big block letters and have me cut them out.
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Ensconced in a baby blue chair, she printed her medical history in block letters.
Fiction book (2001) -
On it, JONAH T was printed in block letters, and beneath the name was the number 4736682.
Fiction book (1991) -
Where is the red flashlight I had brought, with "K-Mart" stamped on it in big white block letters?
Fiction book (2002) -
Tonight he wears a custom homemade t-shirt with iron-on block letters.
Fiction book (2000) -
Block letters on the Fibresphere proclaim, "Slate Construction brings you THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF FIBRE."
Fiction book (1994) -
The addressee's name was written in block letters to make it as clear as possible.
Synonyms
22
1.2
A large letter used at the start of names or sentences
9
1.0
Large letters that start sentences and names
1
1.5
A large letter that begins names and sentences
1
3.4
An uppercase letter written clearly and not joined to other letters often used on forms
How Simple
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'a letter written in simple, separate, often capitalized form' is directly derivable from combining 'block' (something solid, block-like, plain) with 'letter' (an alphabet symbol); the adjective+noun composition transparently describes the visual shape and style. This description is cross-linguistically common and follows a regular English compounding pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will very likely infer the meaning.
Etymology
Block letter may come from old printing, where each letter was a separate wooden or metal block used to print pages. That's why today block letters mean 'simple, separate' letters that are often capitals and easy to read.