letterpress

noun

let·​ter·​press ˈle-tər-ˌpres How to pronounce letterpress (audio)
1
: the process of printing from an inked raised surface especially when the paper is impressed directly upon the surface
2
chiefly British : text (as of a book) distinct from pictorial illustrations

Examples of letterpress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the corner of the shop sits an enormous antique letterpress that is at least a century old. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 5 May 2026 Cary points to Martha Stewart’s championing of letterpress stationery as part of the reason why a revival came around in the early aughts. — Jessica Ritz, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024 Depending on the week, find tiny frames, letterpress cards, butterbells, and sequin handbags—or something else entirely. — Riley Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 19 June 2026 Each piece is unique, made with tools such as vintage letterpress stamps, Japanese glass seed beads, and the maker’s personal collection of precious and semiprecious stones. — Rs Editors, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for letterpress

Word History

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of letterpress was in 1707

Rhymes for letterpress

See All Rhymes for letterpress

Browse Nearby Words

letter post
letterpress
letter quality
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Letterpress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/letterpress. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All