letter
/ˈletə(r)/noun
उच्चारण लेटर
पत्र, चिट्ठी, ख़त
Basic wordPYP · asked 7 times
Asked in previous papers
as idiom, spelling
+2 more
SSC MTS 2025SSC Exams before 2018- 1
[C]
a written or printed message sent to somebody, usually in an envelope
पत्र, चिट्ठी, ख़त
- She wrote a letter to the editor about the broken roads.
- a letter of complaint
- I received a letter from the bank this morning.
+ 3 more examples
- I wrote a letter to my grandparents in Jaipur.
- The postman delivered three letters this morning.
- Her letter of resignation was accepted.
Synonyms note message communication missive epistle
- 2
[C]
a written or printed sign representing a sound, used in writing words
अक्षर, वर्ण
- 'B' is the second letter of the alphabet.
- Write your name in capital letters.
- The Devanagari script has more letters than the Roman.
+ 3 more examples
- How many letters are in the word 'dictionary'?
- The child learned to write each letter neatly.
- Words beginning with the letter Q are rare.
- 3
[pl.] letters formal, old-fashioned
literature; learning
साहित्य, विद्या
- a man of letters (a scholar or writer)
- He was a man of letters who edited a literary magazine.
- The professor was admired as a man of letters.
+ 2 more examples
- The republic of letters includes writers and thinkers across the world.
- Her work belongs to the world of arts and letters.
Synonyms literature scholarship learning the arts
§Structures (grammar patterns) 4
letter (a written message)
A letter is a message written on paper. It takes the prepositions to (the receiver) and from (the sender).
'Letter' कागज़ पर लिखा संदेश है। पाने वाले के लिए 'to' और भेजने वाले के लिए 'from' आता है।
- I received a letter from my uncle.
- Radhika wrote a letter to the editor.
letter (a sign of the alphabet)
A letter is also one of the signs used in writing: there are 26 letters in the English alphabet.
'Letter' वर्णमाला का एक चिह्न भी है: अंग्रेज़ी वर्णमाला में 26 letters होते हैं।
- The word 'beautiful' has nine letters.
- Write the first letter in capital.
letter of + noun
Formal types of letter use of: letter of application, letter of credit, letter of recommendation, letter of complaint.
औपचारिक पत्रों के प्रकार 'of' के साथ आते हैं: letter of application, letter of credit, letter of recommendation, letter of complaint।
- She attached a letter of recommendation to her form.
- He sent a letter of complaint to the railway.
the letter of the law
To follow the letter of the law is to obey the exact words but not always their purpose. It contrasts with the spirit.
'The letter of the law' का पालन करना कानून के सटीक शब्दों का पालन है, पर उसके उद्देश्य का नहीं; यह 'spirit' का विलोम है।
- They followed the letter of the law, but not its spirit.
+Collocations 5
verb + letter
writepostsendreceiveopenreply to
- Please post this letter before five o'clock.
adjective + letter
formalcoveringloveopencapitalsilent
- A covering letter should be short and polite.
letter + noun
boxheadwriteropenerbombpad
- The letter box is outside the post office.
types of letter
applicationrecommendationresignationcomplaintinvitationappointment
- He submitted a letter of resignation to the manager.
letter + preposition
letter toletter fromletter aboutby letterin a letter
- The result was sent to him by letter.
“More examples 5
- Radhika wrote a letter to the principal asking for leave.
राधिका ने प्रधानाचार्य को अवकाश माँगते हुए पत्र लिखा।
- The word 'queue' has five letters but only one sound.
'Queue' शब्द में पाँच letters हैं पर ध्वनि केवल एक है।
- He received an appointment letter from the bank.
उसे बैंक से नियुक्ति पत्र मिला।
- Begin each name with a capital letter.
हर नाम को कैपिटल अक्षर से शुरू कीजिए।
- They carried out the instructions to the letter.
उन्होंने निर्देशों का अक्षरशः पालन किया।
!Common mistakes 3
✗ I got a letter by my friend.
✓ I got a letter from my friend.
The sender of a letter is shown with from.
पत्र भेजने वाले को बताने के लिए 'from' आता है, 'by' नहीं।
✗ Write a letter for your father.
✓ Write a letter to your father.
The receiver of a letter takes to.
पत्र पाने वाले के लिए 'to' आता है, 'for' नहीं।
✗ The word 'letter' has six alphabets.
✓ The word 'letter' has six letters.
Alphabet means the whole set of letters; single signs are letters.
'Alphabet' पूरी वर्णमाला है; अलग-अलग चिह्न 'letters' कहलाते हैं।
≠Thesaurus: which synonym when
These nouns all mean written communication, but at different sizes and formality.
ये संज्ञाएँ लिखित संवाद के भाव की हैं, पर आकार और औपचारिकता में भिन्न हैं।
A message on paper to a person or organisation; also a sign in the alphabet.
किसी व्यक्ति या संस्था को कागज़ पर संदेश; साथ ही वर्णमाला का एक चिह्न।
- I sent a letter.
A short official message within an office.
कार्यालय के भीतर भेजा गया छोटा आधिकारिक संदेश।
- A memo to staff.
¶Idioms 6
to the letter
exactly, paying attention to every detail
अक्षरशः, हर बारीकी के साथ
- Follow the instructions to the letter.
the letter of the law
the exact words of a law rather than its general meaning
कानून का शाब्दिक अर्थ (भावना के बजाय)
- He kept to the letter of the law but broke its spirit.
a man/woman of letters
a scholar or a writer
विद्वान, साहित्यकार
- Tagore was the greatest man of letters of his age.
a four-letter word
a short rude word; a swear word
गाली, अभद्र शब्द
- The boys were punished for using four-letter words.
a red-letter day
a very important or happy day
बहुत खास या खुशी का दिन
- The day of her selection was a red-letter day for the family.
a dead letter
a law or rule that still exists but is no longer obeyed or followed
ऐसा क़ानून या नियम जो लागू तो है पर कोई नहीं मानता
- The ban on plastic bags has become a dead letter in many towns.
- The old regulation is now a dead letter.
◇Word family
≈Synonyms and antonyms
Synonyms
note message communication missive epistle character symbol sign literature scholarship learning the arts
AaSpelling
let·ter
?Which word?
letter writing: the parts
A formal letter has the sender's address, the date, the receiver's address, the salutation ('Dear Sir/Madam' or 'Dear Mr Sharma'), the subject line, the body, the subscription ('Yours faithfully' after Dear Sir/Madam; 'Yours sincerely' after a name) and the signature. An informal letter uses 'Dear Ravi' and closes with 'Yours affectionately' or 'With love'. 'Respected Sir' is Indian usage; 'Dear Sir' is standard.
औपचारिक पत्र में भेजने वाले का पता, तारीख़, पाने वाले का पता, संबोधन ('Dear Sir/Madam' या 'Dear Mr Sharma'), विषय-पंक्ति, मुख्य भाग, समापन ('Dear Sir/Madam' के बाद 'Yours faithfully'; नाम के बाद 'Yours sincerely') और हस्ताक्षर होते हैं। अनौपचारिक पत्र में 'Dear Ravi' और अंत में 'Yours affectionately' या 'With love'। 'Respected Sir' भारतीय प्रयोग है; 'Dear Sir' मानक।
§Grammar and usage
Letter-writing rules are a descriptive-paper item: 'Yours faithfully' with Dear Sir/Madam, 'Yours sincerely' with a name.
पत्र-लेखन के नियम descriptive paper में आते हैं: Dear Sir/Madam के साथ 'Yours faithfully', नाम के साथ 'Yours sincerely'।
“Collocations, idioms and sayings
To the letter, the letter of the law, a man of letters, a four-letter word, a red-letter day, a letter of credit, a covering letter.
Idioms: to the letter (शब्दशः, बिलकुल नियम के अनुसार), the letter of the law (कानून का अक्षरशः अर्थ, भावना नहीं), a man of letters (साहित्यकार या विद्वान), a four-letter word (अभद्र या गाली वाला शब्द), a red-letter day (यादगार और शुभ दिन), a letter of credit (बैंक द्वारा दिया गया भुगतान-गारंटी पत्र), a covering letter (आवेदन या दस्तावेज़ के साथ भेजा जाने वाला परिचय-पत्र)।
✓In the exam
One-word substitution
A letter sent to many people is a circular; an unsigned letter is anonymous; a long formal letter is an epistle.
कई लोगों को भेजा पत्र circular; बिना हस्ताक्षर का पत्र anonymous; लंबा औपचारिक पत्र epistle।