Internationalism, ultimately fromLatinlittera.
- IPA(key): /ˈlitːerɑ/,[ˈlit̪ːe̞rɑ̝]
- Rhymes:-itːerɑ
- Syllabification(key):lit‧te‧ra
- Hyphenation(key):lit‧te‧ra
littera
- identificationletter,ordinalletter
- Synonym:järjestyskirjain
- (numismatics) aletter used to distinguish differentbanknotes,coins, etc. of the samedenomination
- (rail transport)identificationcode of a class ofrolling stock
- (finance)denomination(of a stock certificate)
- (accounting)phase of aproject, etc.(in billing, invoicing, etc.; any unit which may be billed for, often as part of a larger project)
- (historical) a free (train)ticket orticketrebate offered tomilitarytransportation or toconscripts
littera (plurallitteras)
- letter (of thealphabet)
- letter (anepistle)
Origin unknown. Two explanations have been proposed:
- However, De Vaan points out that the past participle fromlino is actuallylitus with a short i and, lacking any other traces of *leitos, says the scenario is "morphologically unconvincing".[1]
- Alternatively, perhaps viaEtruscan[Term?] from (or related to, as if from a common source)Ancient Greekδιφθέρᾱ(diphthérā,“leather; writing material”) which is claimed by Hesychius to be used to name tablets as well,[4] of unknown ultimate origin.
littera f (genitivelitterae);first declension
- letter (of thealphabet)
- (metonymic)handwriting
68BCE – 44BCE,
Cicero,
Epistulae ad Atticum7.2:
- Tam Alexidismanum amabam, quod tam prope accedebat ad similitudinem tuaelitterae; non amabam, quod indicabat te non valere.
- While I was liking the handwriting of Alexis for it resembled so closely a likeness to your ownhandwriting, I wasn't liking it for it was indicating that you were not well.
- (usually in theplural)letter,epistle
- (usually in theplural)literature
Si versus horum duorum poetarum neglegetis, magna partelitterarum carebitis.- If you neglect the verses of these two poets, you will miss a great part ofliterature.
- (usually in theplural, by extension)letters,knowledge ofliterature,learning,scholarship
- (usually in theplural)books (often a collection of letters, epistles, accounts, records, etc.)
- (usually in theplural)record(s),account(s),document(s)
- (usually in theplural)edict,ordinance
First-declension noun.
- ↑1.01.1De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “littera”, inEtymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill,→ISBN,page346
- ^Sen, Ranjan (2015),Syllable and Segment in Latin[1], Oxford: Oxford University Press, page47
- ^Iustinianus Project (14 June 2021 (last accessed)), “LEX (ACILIA?) REPETUNDARUM, Law on the right to recovery of property officially extorted (CIL I2, n. 583)”, inThe Roman Law Library[2], Université Grenoble Alpes, archived fromthe original on14 June 2021: “...libros leiterasve pop[licas]...”
- ↑4.04.1Ernout, Alfred;Meillet, Antoine (1985), “littera”, inDictionnaire étymologique de la langue latine: histoire des mots (in French), 4th edition, with additions and corrections ofJacques André, Paris: Klincksieck, published2001, page363
- ^Walde, Alois;Hofmann, Johann Baptist (1938), “littera”, inLateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), 3rd edition, volume I, Heidelberg: Carl Winter,page814
- ^Sihler, Andrew L. (1995),New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press,→ISBN, page224
- “littera”, inCharlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879),A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “littera”, inCharlton T. Lewis (1891),An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- "littera", in Charles du Fresne du Cange’sGlossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
- “littera”, inGaffiot, Félix (1934),Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
- Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894),Latin Phrase-Book[4], London:Macmillan and Co.
- to live (all) one's life (honourably, in the country, as a man of learning):vitam, aetatem (omnem aetatem, omne aetatis tempus) agere (honeste, ruri, in litteris), degere, traducere
- the study of belles-lettres; literary pursuits:litterarumstudium ortractatio (notoccupatio)
- learned, scientific, literary men:homines litterarum studiosi
- scholarship, culture, literature is at a low ebb:litterae iacent, neglectae iacent
- to be engaged in the pursuit of letters:litteras colere
- to be an enthusiastic devotee of letters:litteras amplecti
- to be an enthusiastic devotee of letters:litteras adamasse (only in perf. and plup.)
- to be engaged in literary pursuits:in studio litterarum versari
- to be engaged in any branch of study:in aliquo litterarum genere versari
- to be an ardent student of..:summo studio in litteris versari
- to devote oneself entirely to literature:se totum litteris tradere, dedere
- to be quite engrossed in literary studies:se totum in litteras orse litteris abdere
- to apply oneself very closely to literary, scientific work:in litteris elaborare (De Sen. 8. 26)
- to find recreation in study:in litteris acquiescere orconquiescere
- to devote one's life to science, study:aetatem in litteris ducere, agere
- to devote all one's leisure moments to study:omne (otiosum) tempus in litteris consumere
- to employ all one's energies on literary work:omne studium in litteris collocare, ad litteras conferre
- to feel an attraction for study:litterarum studio trahi
- to feel an attraction for study:trahi, ferri ad litteras
- to relax one's studies:litterarum studia remittere
- to have a superficial knowledge, a smattering of literature, of the sciences:primis (ut dicitur) orprimoribus labris gustare orattingere litteras
- literature:litterae
- written records; documents:litterae ac monumenta or simplymonumenta
- Roman literature:litterae latinae
- shining lights in the literary world:clarissima litterarum lumina
- to study Greek literature:graecis litteris studere
- to be well (slightly) acquainted with Greek literature:multum (mediocriter) in graecis litteris versari
- acquainted with the Latin language:latinis litteris orlatine doctus
- to possess literary knowledge:litterarum scientiam (only in sing.)habere
- to be well-informed, erudite:multarum rerum cognitione imbutum esse (opp.litterarum oreruditionis expertem esse or[rerum] rudem esse)
- to have received a liberal education:litteras scire
- profound scientific education:litterae interiores et reconditae, artes reconditae
- for a Roman he is decidedly well educated:sunt in illo, ut in homine Romano, multae litterae (De Sen. 4. 12)
- to have received a superficial education:litteris leviter imbutum ortinctum esse
- to be educated by some one:litteras discere ab aliquo
- an elementary school:ludus (discendi orlitterarum)
- to receive the first elements of a liberal education:primis litterarum elementis imbui
- to teach some one letters:erudire aliquem artibus, litteris (buterudire aliquem in iure civili, in re militari)
- to write expositions of philosophy in Latin:philosophiam latinis litteris illustrare (Acad. 1. 1. 3)
- to study historical records, read history:evolvere historias, litterarum (veterum annalium) monumenta
- to hold by the letter (of the law):verba ac litteras orscriptum (legis) sequi (opp.sententia the spirit)
- to lengthen the pronunciation of a syllable or letter:syllabam, litteram producere (opp.corripere) (Quintil. 9. 4. 89)
- to pronounce the syllables distinctly:litteras exprimere (opp.obscurare)
- to the letter; literally:ad litteram, litterate
- the alphabet:litterarumordo
- the alphabet:litterae, elementa
- to arrange in alphabetical order:ad litteram orlitterarum ordine digerere
- to put down in writing:litteris mandare orconsignare aliquid (Acad. 2. 1. 2)
- to treat in writing:litteris persequi (vid. sect. VIII. 2, notepersequi...)aliquid
- to write a letter to some one:epistulam (litteras) dare, scribere, mittere ad aliquem
- correspondence:litterae missae et allatae
- to correspond with some one:colloqui cum aliquo per litteras
- to be in correspondence with..:litteras inter se dare et accipere
- to take a letter somewhere:litteras perferre aliquo
- to read a letter aloud (in public):litteras recitare (Att. 8. 9. 2)
- a letter, the tenor of which is..:litterae hoc exemplo (Att. 9. 6. 3)
- the terms, contents of the letter are as follows:litterae in hanc sententiam orhis verbis scriptae sunt
- to deliver a letter dated September 21st:litteras reddere datas a. d. Kal. X. Octob.
- a most courteous letter:litterae officii orhumanitatis plenae
- littera inRamminger, Johann (16 July 2016 (last accessed)),Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700[5], pre-publication website, 2005-2016
- Blažek, Václav (2018), “Toward the Etymology of Latin littera”, inGraeco-Latina Brunensia, volume23, number 2, page 5
Unadapted borrowing fromLatinlittera(“letter”). First attested in 1535.
| Examples (class, code, designation, model, number, or type) |
|---|
- r – radius
- D – a door (in blueprints)
- YV – exterior wall (in blueprints)
- STPR – a downpipe (in blueprints)
- BP – fire hydrant
- X – an electric railcar
- K – designation for trains compatible with Danish railway systems
- X31K – an electric railcar model operating in Sweden and Denmark
|
littera c
- A sequence ofletters (and sometimesdigits), or a single such character, used as adesignation; aclass,code,model,number, ortype.
- Coordinate term:nummer(“number”)
