cursive
/ˈkɜːsɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɜːrsɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkər-siv/ (ame, mw)
cursive — adjective
- cursivepositive
- more cursivecomparative
- most cursivesuperlative
1. written with letters that are linked to each other by continuous flowing strokes
written with letters that are linked to each other by continuous flowing strokes, rather than printed as separate characters
Ms. Okonkwo taught the third-graders how to write their names in cursive.
collocation: write in cursive
Diego's grandmother still writes all her letters in a neat cursive hand.
collocation: cursive hand
The school board voted to keep cursive handwriting as part of the curriculum.
Yara found an old cursive note tucked inside the second-hand book.
The invitation was printed in elegant cursive script on cream-coloured paper.
- printed
written with separate, unconnected letters — the opposite of cursive
用法筆記
Primarily describes handwriting; can also describe printed text that imitates joined-up writing, as in 'cursive script' or 'cursive font.'
常見錯誤
cursive — noun
1. a manuscript or letter produced by hand in a style where each character flows in
a manuscript or letter produced by hand in a style where each character flows into the next within a word
The museum curator carefully unfolded a sixteenth-century cursive from the archive.
countable noun: a cursive
Elena studied the faded cursive under a magnifying glass to make out the words.
Samir discovered a cursive dated 1943 while sorting through his grandfather's old papers.
The library holds over two hundred medieval cursives in its rare-books collection.
Hina photographed every page of the fragile cursive before the conservator began repairs.
- manuscript
broader term covering any hand-written document, not necessarily in joined-up writing
- script
can refer to handwriting in general; less specific about the joined-letter style
- handwriting
refers to the style of writing rather than the physical document itself
用法筆記
Always a countable noun — you can say 'a cursive' or 'several cursives'. Do not confuse with the uncountable use of 'cursive' as a general writing style (which is handled by the adjective sense).
常見錯誤
2. a typeface or font designed to look like handwriting, with letters that appear t
a typeface or font designed to look like handwriting, with letters that appear to flow into each other
The wedding invitations used a flowing cursive that made the printed wording seem hand-lettered.
collocation: flowing cursive
Ingrid chose a simple cursive for the chapter headings in her self-published novel.
collocation: choose a cursive
The café menu was set in a playful cursive that was easy to read.
Fatima's graphic-design tutor recommended pairing a bold sans-serif title with an elegant cursive for the body copy.
The sign painter copied the shop name from a nineteenth-century cursive found in a type catalogue.
- script font
more common in everyday design language; 'cursive' as a noun for fonts is more technical
- handwriting typeface
descriptive term; less concise than 'cursive' in typographic contexts
- sans-serif
a typeface without decorative strokes or flowing connections — the stylistic opposite of a cursive font
用法筆記
Used in printing and typography contexts. Distinguish from noun sense 1: this sense refers to a typeface design, not a physical handwritten document.