calligraphy
noun
cal·lig·ra·phy kə-ˈli-grə-fē 
1
a
: artistic, stylized, or elegant handwriting or lettering
b
: the art of producing such writing
2
: penmanship
3
: an ornamental line in drawing or painting
calligraphic
ˌka-lə-ˈgra-fik
adjective calligraphically
ˌka-lə-ˈgra-fi-k(ə-)lē
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.
Synonyms
- handwriting
- longhand
- manuscript
- penmanship
- script
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
she specializes in scrollwork with beautiful calligraphy
Recent Examples on the Web Some things are pleasing when seen; calligraphy is such a thing. 
Mike Kerrigan, WSJ, 29 July 2022 If the calligraphy was challenging, however, portraying Elizabeth I—the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who took the throne at just 25 years old—seems to come to von Rittberg naturally. Adam Rathe, Town & Country, 10 June 2022 The Syrian native’s recent work takes the Arabic versions of the three title words — chosen for their relevance to calligraphy, but also to politics — and then spins, swoops and fragments them into abstract compositions. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 29 July 2022 An impromptu calligraphy lesson taught me a lot about beauty in this world and the one to come. Mike Kerrigan, WSJ, 29 July 2022 Of note for fall is the slightly higher waistline and the calligraphy embroidery that translates the designer’s own ink strokes on paper onto a garment via needle on cloth. Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, 19 July 2022 Using ink on rice paper, the artist revels in the way lines reminiscent of calligraphy can suggest landscapes. Peter Saenger, WSJ, 29 July 2022 The easy calligraphy, the pulsing animation of a line that suggests rather than dictates. Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, 21 July 2022 The Arabic calligraphy that covers the building functions as windows as well as decoration. Nicola Chilton, CNN, 20 June 2022 See More
Mike Kerrigan, WSJ, 29 July 2022 If the calligraphy was challenging, however, portraying Elizabeth I—the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who took the throne at just 25 years old—seems to come to von Rittberg naturally. Adam Rathe, Town & Country, 10 June 2022 The Syrian native’s recent work takes the Arabic versions of the three title words — chosen for their relevance to calligraphy, but also to politics — and then spins, swoops and fragments them into abstract compositions. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 29 July 2022 An impromptu calligraphy lesson taught me a lot about beauty in this world and the one to come. Mike Kerrigan, WSJ, 29 July 2022 Of note for fall is the slightly higher waistline and the calligraphy embroidery that translates the designer’s own ink strokes on paper onto a garment via needle on cloth. Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, 19 July 2022 Using ink on rice paper, the artist revels in the way lines reminiscent of calligraphy can suggest landscapes. Peter Saenger, WSJ, 29 July 2022 The easy calligraphy, the pulsing animation of a line that suggests rather than dictates. Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, 21 July 2022 The Arabic calligraphy that covers the building functions as windows as well as decoration. Nicola Chilton, CNN, 20 June 2022 See More 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
Kids Definition
calligraphy
noun
cal·li·gra·phy kə-ˈli-grə-fē
1
: beautiful artistic handwriting
2
: the art of producing beautiful handwriting
calligraphy
noun
as in handwriting
writing done by hand she specializes in scrollwork with beautiful calligraphy Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- handwriting
- lettering
- manuscript
- penmanship
- script
- longhand
- stenography
- steno
- shorthand
- phonography
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- print
- type
- typewriting
- contemporized
- contemporizes
- contemporizing
- contempt
- contemptibilities
- contemptibility
- contemptible
- contemptibleness
- contemptiblenesses
- contemptibly
- contempts
- contemptuous
- contemptuously
- contemptuousness
- contemptuousnesses
- contemptus mundi
- contend
- contend (with)
- contend with
- contended
- contended (with)
- contended with
- contendents
- contender
- contenders