[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/letter.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / letter

[← L](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/L/)

# letter

«letter» in Mova's school dictionary: **one of the signs we use to write words, like A, b or Z** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (letter, letters); verb (letter, letters, lettered — rare)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A letter is one of the signs we use to write words, like A, b or Z. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#m1)

2) A letter is a written message you send to someone, usually in an envelope by post. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#m2)

3) In maths, a letter like x or n can stand for an unknown number. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#m3)

4) «To the letter» means exactly as told. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In school, letters are counted in words and spelling lists; capital and small letters; vowels and consonants. In maths, letters stand for unknown numbers (n, x), and letters are things counted when delivered. In everyday life: writing letters, a letter from school to parents, a letter to Santa. Phrases: «capital letter», «letter box», «to the letter».

### examples

- The word «apple» has 5 letters. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x1)
- The mailman delivers 120 letters a day. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x2)
- She wrote 3 letters to her friends. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x3)
- Let the letter n stand for the number of apples. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x4)
- Start every sentence with a capital letter. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x5)
- The English alphabet has 26 letters. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x6)
- The school sent a letter home about the trip. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x7)
- He posted a letter to his grandma in Ireland. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x8)
- She followed the recipe to the letter. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x9)
- What a tour that letter had made! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/#x10)

### note

Countable. Vowel letters are a, e, i, o, u; the others are consonants. A letter is a sign; a sound is what we hear, and they do not always match (the «k» in «knee» is silent). The English alphabet has 26 letters. Maths: counted things or a name for an unknown. Trap: a stamp per letter means letters × price of a stamp.

### In the corpora

- [Many people feel let down by politicians, but they can still vote, write letters and get involved.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/31-votes-parties-and-the-people-in-charge/14/)
- [Vivid example: in Toronto, red letters slide across the bottom of a cartoon: BREAKING NEWS.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/52-elections-crime-the-weather-breaking-news-and-news-vs-opinion/5/)
- [Translation tools help families who speak other languages understand letters, but they can make mistakes.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/ai/18-cars-doctors-translators/6/)
- [Thinking about the future, for example by writing letters to it, helps us decide what we want now.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/ai/25-future-fears-rules/12/)
- [Counting letter by letter, slowly, beats guessing quickly, and you can show each step.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/ai/29-who-you-are-being-wrong-and-learning/19/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «letter» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/letter/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.