calligraphy

1 of 2

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

calligraphic

2 of 2

adjective

cal·​li·​graph·​ic ¦ka-lə-¦gra-fik 

1

: of or relating to calligraphy: such as

a

of writing or hand-lettering : elaborate or ornamental in style

b

of a document : written by hand especially in an elaborate or ornamental style

2

a

: consisting of or ornamented with lines resembling the flourishes of ornate or decorated handwriting or hand-lettering

calligraphic scrolls

a calligraphic figure

b

: printed, engraved, or otherwise produced in a style imitative of ornamental handwriting, hand-lettering, or freehand drawing

a printed calligraphic title

engraved calligraphic ornament

c

: bearing writing or a representation of writing that is regarded as being in itself a source of aesthetic pleasure

—used especially of works of art displaying Chinese characters or one of the ornamental types of Arabic script

3

: drawn, painted, or formed in the manner of calligraphy (see calligraphy sense 3)

a wiry arabesque of swift calligraphic line

—Eric Newton

calligraphically

¦ka-lə-¦gra-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

Noun

• handwriting

Examples of calligraphy in a Sentence

Noun

she specializes in scrollwork with beautiful calligraphy

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Moreover, the scribes were not content with just writing; ideally, the text should be rendered in beautiful calligraphy and adorned with symbols or images, crafted by monks skilled in this art. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026

Kyoto calligraphy is often paired with tea ceremonies. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026

As preschoolers dance, paint and play inside a Sunset Park daycare center, seniors sing traditional Chinese opera, exercise and practice calligraphy just one block away. — Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 22 May 2026

Entry comes with a tug on the giant calligraphy brush that adorns the doorway. — Melinda Sheckells, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French or Greek; French calligraphie, from Greek kalligraphia, from kalli- beautiful (from kallos beauty) + -graphia -graphy

Adjective

Middle Greek kalligraphikos, from Greek kalligraphos calligrapher + -ikos -ic

First Known Use

Noun

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