letter Copy link Outline I. Of the alphabetII. That which is specially written1. scriptum2. praescriptum (of instructions from a superior)3. littĕra (rare in this sense)4. verba, orumIII. An epistle1. littĕrae, arum (the most freq. word in familiar language)2. ĕpistŏla3. tăbellae (the tablets or leaves on which a l. was written)4. cōdĭcilli (a short note)IV. In pl. only, learning • letter: I. Of the alphabet: littĕra: to mark the l. A, litteram A imprimere, Cic. Div. 1, 13, 23: elsewhere, Tusc. 1, 25, 62, Cic. has, litterarum notae for the l.s of the alphabet. Capital and running l.s, *l. unciales, cursivae, M. L. (but unciales strictly refers only to the size of letters = majusculi). II. That which is specially written: 1. scriptum: contrary to the l. of the law, contra s., Cic. Br. 39, 145: to follow the l. (opp. to the intention of language), s. sequi, id. Caec. 23, 65. 2. praescriptum (of instructions from a superior): to carry out orders to the l., omnia agere ad p., Caes. B. C. 3, 51. 3. littĕra (rare in this sense): to the l. (= verbatim), ad l., Quint. 9, 1, 25: Vulg. II. Cor. ii. 6 (opp. to spiritus: not class.). Join: verba et litterae, Cic. Caec. l. c. 4. verba, orum: cf. supr. (II., 3). See also literally. III. An epistle: 1. littĕrae, arum (the most freq. word in familiar language): to post (lit. give to the letter-carrier) a letter, litteras dare, Cic. Ep. pass.: to receive one, l. accipere, ib. pass.: I have received a l. from my brother, l. mihi a fratre allatae sunt, id. Att. 3, 26: any letters? ecquid litterarum? ib. 2, 8: no l. from you for so long! abs te tam diu nihil litterarum! ib. 1, 2. (N.B.--To denote two, three, etc., letters, the distrib. numerals must be used, e. g. tuae litterae binae, Cic. Att. 5, 3; or else epistola must be used, as is more freq. the case: cf. ib. 1, 13; 3, 15, etc.) 2. ĕpistŏla: neglect in the matter of l.-writing, negligentia epistolarum, Cic. Att. 1, 6: to send no l. without something written about, nullam e. sine [Cic. uses absque because of the preceding sine] argumento mittere, cf. ib. 1, 19, 1: to write a long l. to any one, longam e. ad aliquem scribere, id. Fam. 14, 2. Adj. epistolaris, e. g. charta, l.-paper, Mart. 14, 11, lem. 3. tăbellae (the tablets or leaves on which a l. was written): cf. Liv. 45, 1, where a l. announcing victory is first called litterae laureatae, afterwards, as exhibited to the people, tabellae laureatae. 4. cōdĭcilli (a short note): Cic.: Plin.: v. note. IV. In pl. only, learning: littĕrae, arum: v. literature, learning.