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 of calligraphy

• handwriting

Examples of calligraphy in a Sentence

she specializes in scrollwork with beautiful calligraphy

Recent Examples on the Web

A lot of effort went into researching different mystical, strange calligraphy and all kinds of diagram stuff that are in that. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026

Set in a former Ottoman villa, the museum houses an extensive collection of Ottoman calligraphy, paintings, and decorative arts, alongside rotating exhibitions that explore both Turkish and international artists. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Aug. 2026

The organizers added taiko drum performances, Japanese flower arrangement demonstrations, calligraphy showcases and other staples of the culture, which have remained core to the festival over more than six decades. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026

The collection includes examples of calligraphy, painting, ceramics, metal- and stonework. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 23 July 2026

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·​lig·​ra·​phy kə-ˈlig-rə-fē 

1

a

: beautiful handwriting

b

: the art of producing such handwriting

2

: penmanship sense 2

calligrapher

-rə-fər

noun