letter
gb/lˈɛtɚ/ us/lˈɛtɚ/
A1
Inglês
~ 500
Acepções
0 acepção
Substantivo
A1
entity
1
Written or printed communication
A message that you write on paper and send to someone.
Padrão de uso:
to write/send/receive [a letter]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse 'letter' with 'email' or 'note'. A 'letter' traditionally refers to something written on paper, though it can be typed and printed.
Sinônimos
note (Usually shorter and less formal than a letter)
|
message (General term that can refer to written, spoken, or electronic communication)
Antônimos
phone call (Spoken communication instead of written)
Colocações
write a letter
|send a letter
|receive a letter
|love letter
|cover letter
Temas
communication
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- I received a letter from my aunt yesterday.
- She wrote a letter to the company to complain about the service.
- He sent a love letter to his girlfriend.
- Please address the letter to the manager.
- The lawyer drafted a formal letter for the client.
Exemplos para estudantes
- I got a letter from my friend.
- She sent me a long letter.
- I wrote a letter to my teacher.
- He read the letter twice.
- We send letters to our family.
Substantivo
A1
entity
2
Symbol of the alphabet
A sign in the alphabet that shows one sound in writing.
Padrão de uso:
the letter [A/Z/etc.]
Erro comum:
Learners may confuse 'letter' with 'word'; a word is made up of letters.
Sinônimos
character (Broader term that can also include symbols not part of an alphabet)
Antônimos
number (Represents quantity rather than a speech sound)
Colocações
capital letter
|small letter
|uppercase letter
|lowercase letter
|the letter A
Temas
language
|education
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- B is the second letter of the English alphabet.
- Please write your name in capital letters.
- The word 'cat' has three letters.
- She taught the child how to form each letter.
- The password must contain at least one letter and one number.
Exemplos para estudantes
- A is the first letter of the alphabet.
- My name starts with the letter M.
- We learn letters at school.
- This word has five letters.
- Write each letter clearly.
Substantivo
formal
B2
entity
3
Exact wording of a text
The exact words of a law or text, not its meaning or idea.
Padrão de uso:
the letter of [the law/rules]
Erro comum:
Learners may not realize this is often used in contrast with 'spirit'. It is figurative but still common in formal use.
Sinônimos
wording (Focuses on the choice and arrangement of words)
Antônimos
spirit (Refers to intended meaning rather than exact wording)
Colocações
the letter of the law
|follow to the letter
Temas
law
|language
|communication
|education
Exemplos
- The judge ruled according to the letter of the law.
- He followed her instructions to the letter.
- They obeyed the rules in letter but not in spirit.
Exemplos para estudantes
- We must follow the letter of the law.
- She did it to the letter.
- They keep the rules to the letter.
Gramática
Forma no dicionário
letter
AFI
GB/lˈɛtɚ/
US/lˈɛtɚ/
Sílabas e tonicidade
let - ter (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (let)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: letter
- Plural: letters
Família de palavras
Forms
letters
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
illiterate
adjective
illiteracy
noun
Expressões
letter of the law
1/lˈɛtɚ əv ðə lˈɔ/
fixed phrase
formal
Exact words of a law
The exact words used in a law, not what they really mean or intend.
Exemplos
- He stuck to the letter of the law, even though it seemed unfair.
- Sometimes justice requires more than just following the letter of the law.
to the letter
1/tə ðə lˈɛtɚ/
idiom
Follow exactly as instructed
To do something exactly as you are told or as it is written.
Exemplos
- She followed the recipe to the letter and the cake turned out perfectly.
- The contract must be carried out to the letter.