calligraphy

noun

cal·​lig·​ra·​phy kə-ˈli-grə-fē How to pronounce calligraphy (audio)
1
a
: artistic, stylized, or elegant handwriting or lettering
b
: the art of producing such writing
2
3
: an ornamental line in drawing or painting
calligraphic adjective
calligraphically adverb

Did you know?

Kalli- is a Greek root meaning "beautiful", and "beautiful" in the case of calligraphy means artistic, stylized, and elegant. Calligraphy has existed in many cultures, including Indian, Persian, and Islamic cultures; Arabic puts a particularly high value on beautiful script, and in East Asia calligraphy has long been considered a major art. Calligraphers in the West use pens with wide nibs, with which they produce strokes of widely differing width within a single letter.

Examples of calligraphy in a Sentence

she specializes in scrollwork with beautiful calligraphy
Recent Examples on the Web Who could possibly object to the celebration of calligraphy and glassblowing, of dragon boats, abacus calculation, and mariachi? Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 Barna used calligraphy to create her drawing and incorporated the words of a poem by Emma Lazarus. Carol Hamilton, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2024 Inspired by a calligraphy pen (hence the name), this formula has a pen-like tip that allows for precise application while lining the lips with its rich pigment. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 13 Jan. 2024 Surendra founded a calligraphy business in New York in 2010 and has engaged in several creative pursuits, including bookbinding, chalk art, and paper marbling. Danny Horn, EW.com, 12 Jan. 2024 Motifs recur, such layered geometric shapes, or the circular spirals reminiscent of the Arabic calligraphy Uman studied as a child. Suyin Haynes, CNN, 18 Feb. 2024 Attendees can participate in Tai Chi sessions, learn about Chinese calligraphy, and more. Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 29 Jan. 2024 As a bodily practice, calligraphy could transcend its own cultural constraints. Jerrine Tan, New York Times, 27 June 2023 This free event will have lion dances, cultural performances, calligraphy, Chinese food vendors and more. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'calligraphy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French or Greek; French calligraphie, from Greek kalligraphia, from kalli- beautiful (from kallos beauty) + -graphia -graphy

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of calligraphy was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near calligraphy

Cite this Entry

“Calligraphy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calligraphy. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

calligraphy

noun
cal·​lig·​ra·​phy kə-ˈlig-rə-fē How to pronounce calligraphy (audio)
1
a
: beautiful handwriting
b
: the art of producing such handwriting
2
calligrapher
-rə-fər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on calligraphy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!