lettered

/ˈle-tərd/ (ame, mw)

lettered — adjective

  • letteredpositive
  • more letteredcomparative
  • most letteredsuperlative

1. having broad knowledge gained through reading and study, in a way that shows lea

1.形容詞C2
釋義

having broad knowledge gained through reading and study, in a way that shows learning and cultural depth

例句

Elena's grandmother was a lettered woman who quoted Cervantes at dinner.

a lettered + person noun for someone of deep learning

Few villagers were lettered, but the local priest taught children to read at night.

be + lettered for general literacy and learning

同義詞
  • well-read

    common everyday phrase stressing wide reading rather than the formal tone of 'lettered'

  • learned

    traditional and slightly old-fashioned; suggests serious study

  • educated

    broader and more neutral; covers formal schooling, not only reading

  • cultivated

    stresses taste and refinement gained alongside learning

反義詞
  • unlettered

    direct opposite; can mean unable to read or simply not well educated

  • illiterate

    strictly about being unable to read or write; harsher and more clinical

文法句型

a lettered + person noun

be + lettered

well lettered

用法筆記

Frequently appears before a noun naming a person or family (a lettered scholar, a lettered family). Sounds formal or old-fashioned; in everyday speech, 'well-educated' or 'well-read' is more common.

常見錯誤

❌My phone is lettered.
✅My phone has letters on the keys.
💡'Lettered' for objects means decorated with letters; for a phone, simply describe the keys.
❌Chidi is lettered in fixing engines.
✅Chidi is skilled at fixing engines.
💡'Lettered' refers to book learning, not practical hands-on ability.

2. having letters or words written or painted on the surface, often drawn carefully

2.形容詞C1
釋義

having letters or words written or painted on the surface, often drawn carefully by hand rather than printed

例句

Takeshi hung a beautifully lettered sign above his small bakery in Kyoto.

lettered + sign / display object

The wedding invitations were lettered in gold ink by a local calligrapher.

passive: be lettered in [ink / paint]

同義詞
  • inscribed

    more formal; often suggests letters carved or engraved, not just painted

  • hand-lettered

    stresses that the letters were drawn by hand, the most common modern collocation

  • labelled

    broader; any tag or sign, not necessarily drawn artistically

反義詞
  • blank

    empty of any writing or marks

  • unmarked

    no visible label, letter, or sign of identification

文法句型

lettered + object noun

hand-lettered

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (about people). This sense applies to objects (signs, jars, books, banners) and often implies the letters were drawn by hand. Frequently combined as 'hand-lettered'.

常見錯誤

❌The keyboard is lettered with numbers.
✅The keyboard has letters and numbers on the keys.
💡'Lettered' usually refers to decorative or hand-drawn writing, not standard printed keys.