Braille Meaning
/ˈbɹeɪ̯l/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA system of writing in which letters and some combinations of letters are represented by raised dots arranged in three or four rows of two dots each and are read by the blind and partially sighted using the fingertips.
nameLouis Braille
Sentence Examples
Blind people read by touching, using a system of raised dots called Braille.
Can you write Braille?
My grandfather had a braille book about Esperanto and Ido.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The blind student read the book using raised dots in ____ language.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Blind people use ____ to read books with their sensitive fingertips.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from French braille, named after French educator Louis Braille (1809–1852). The /eɪl/ seems to reflect a spelling pronunciation; French has /aj/ instead.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Another difficulty which causes literature in braille to remain scarce is the cumbersomeness of the process of producing braille books."
— 1963, S. C. Ashcroft, Freda Henderson, Programmed Instruction in Braille, Stanwix House, →ISBN, page 6:
"the sponsorship statement on respondent's brailled volumes [...] He admittedly had no knowledge of just how respondent's book [...] came to be brailled"
— 1967, Carlton Fredericks, Federal Trade Commission Decisions, volume 71, page 237:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The blind student read the book using raised dots in ____ language.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Blind people use ____ to read books with their sensitive fingertips.