喜樂美語

A written sign that stands for a sound — one of the marks like A, B, C. From this single idea two paths grow: many letters strung together make a written message you send (a letter), and 'every exact letter' comes to mean following the precise written wording.

可以想成一個寫出來、用來代表某個聲音的記號，就是 A、B、C 這樣的字母。從這個最基本的「字母」出發，long 出兩條主要的路：一是把許多字母排在一起寫成一封要寄出去的訊息（一封信）；二是「連每一個字母都照著」延伸出「照字面、照確切的措辭」的意思。動詞和美國校隊的布章，則是把「字母」這個記號真的寫上去、做成布塊。

From the word’s history

In Latin, littera meant an alphabetic letter; its plural litterae came to mean a written message and also writings/literature — so the English senses (alphabet letter → written letter → letters = literature) share one root.

拉丁文 littera 本指「字母」，其複數 litterae 進一步指「書信」以及「文字、著作」。所以英文裡從「字母」到「書信」再到 letters（文學）其實同出一源，並非不相關的兩個字。

Online Etymology Dictionary, etymonline.com (letter)

登入就可以看每一支怎麼連回核心畫面。

n複數 letters

v過去式 lettered過去分詞 lettered-ing lettering三單 letters

原始詞典資料14 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

letternoun詞源 1/ˈlɛtə/

  • 1

    A symbol in an alphabet.

    • There are twenty-six letters in the English alphabet.
    • And a superscription also was written ouer him in letters of Greeke, and Latin, & Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE IEWES.
  • 2

    A written or printed communication, usually defined as longer and more formal than a note. (Sometimes specifically one that is on paper.)

    • I wrote a letter to my sister about my life.
    • The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and natural.
  • 3

    The literal meaning of something, as distinguished from its intended and remoter meaning (the spirit).

    • In obedience to humane laws, we muſt obſerve the letter of the Law, where we can without doing violence to the reaſon of the Law and the intention of the Law-giver: but where they croſſe each other, the charity of the Law is to be preferred before its diſcipline, and the reaſon of it before the letter.
    • I broke the letter of it to keep the sense.
  • 4

    Literature.

    • Benjamin Franklin was multiskilled – a scientist, politician and a man of letters.
  • 5

    lawA division unit of a piece of law marked by a letter of the alphabet.

    • Letter (b) constitutes an exception to this provision.
  • 6

    A size of paper, 8½ in × 11 in (215.9 mm × 279.4 mm).

  • 7

    A size of paper, 215 mm × 280 mm.

  • 8

    datedmediaprintingpublishingA single type; type, collectively; a style of type.

    • Under these, thro’ a garden in which is an ample fountaine, was the King's printing-house, and that famous letter so much esteem’d.

letterverb詞源 1/ˈlɛtə/

  • 1

    To print, inscribe, or paint letters on something.

  • 2

    To earn a varsity letter (award).

    • I think Mom lettered in shot put her junior year.

letternoun詞源 2/ˈlɛtə/

  • 1

    One who lets, or lets out.

    • the letter of a room
    • a blood-letter
  • 2

    archaicOne who retards or hinders.

這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形：

摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。