Calligraphy Meaning
/kəˈlɪɡɹəfi/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe art or practice of writing letters and words in a decorative style; the letters and words so written.
nounAny such style of decorative writing.
Sentence Examples
Learning calligraphy is fun.
Chinese calligraphy is considered an art form.
My fingers are all inky from the tragic calligraphy accident.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She practiced beautiful ____ using a special pen and ink on parchment.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She is learning the art of ____ to write beautiful and ornate letters.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from French calligraphie, from Ancient Greek καλλιγραφία (kalligraphía, literally “pretty writing”), from κάλλος (kállos, “beauty”) + γράφω (gráphō, “to draw”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"This paper will explore the role of calligraphy on three royal mosques built during the reign of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658):[…]."
— 1981, Wayne E. Begley, “2: The Symbolic Role of Calligraphy on Three Imperial Mosques of Shāh Jahān”, in Joanna Gottfried Williams, editor, Kalādarśana: American Studies in the Art of India, page 7:
"There is, however, a temporal separation between the earthly crystallization of Quranic calligraphy and the advent of the Quranic revelation."
— 1987, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Islamic Art and Spirituality, page 27:
"Calligraphy, however, can seem like a live concert recording with a shallow, raw sound and awkward "accidentals." But calligraphy has grown on me, and a distinction must be made between the calligraphy of high school diplomas and that of experts whose work is often breathtakingly beautiful."
— 2004, Leslie Cabarga, Logo, Font & Lettering Bible, page 78:
"Around the corner, at Goedhuis, among more contemporary calligraphies, the fat and fuzzy brushwork of Zeng Yizeng (born 1973) stands out."
— 2008 March 15, Roberta Smith, “Fair Goes From Feast to Tasting Menu”, in New York Times:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She practiced beautiful ____ using a special pen and ink on parchment.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She is learning the art of ____ to write beautiful and ornate letters.