correspondence

noun

cor·​re·​spon·​dence ˌkȯr-ə-ˈspän-dən(t)s 

ˌkär-

1

a

: communication by letters or email

also : the letters or emails exchanged

I have a pile of correspondence on my desk.

b

: the news, information, or opinion contributed by a correspondent to a newspaper or periodical

2

a

: the agreement of things with one another

the correspondence between spelling and pronunciation

b

: a particular similarity

c

: a relation between sets in which each member of one set is associated with one or more members of the other compare function sense 5a

Synonyms of correspondence

• similarity
• resemblance

Examples of correspondence in a Sentence

They communicated by telephone and correspondence.

E-mail correspondence has become extremely important for modern businesses.

The two men began a correspondence that would continue throughout their lives.

A book of the author's personal correspondence was published early last year.

A formal tone is always used in business correspondence.

Note the correspondence of each number to a location on the map.

Sometimes there is little correspondence between the way a word is spelled and the way it is pronounced in English.

Sometimes there are few correspondences between spelling and pronunciation.

Recent Examples on the Web

The men resumed their routine correspondence by phone and email, and Epstein asked Mottola’s opinion on the best Italian restaurants in Palm Beach and sought guidance on replacing his aging household staff. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026

According to Stanford, Li had directed that the diaries, along with correspondence, meeting minutes, photographs and other materials, be made publicly available for study at the university’s Hoover Institution for fear they might otherwise be destroyed by Chinese authorities. —Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026

There’s correspondence to and from Chicago literary luminaries like Nelson Algren, Gwendolyn Brooks, Jack Conroy, and Sherwood Anderson. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026

Even in the absence of any proven crime committed by Tisch, even in the naivest retelling or understanding of Tisch’s correspondences with Epstein, his unacceptable relationship with this man deserves censure. —Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see correspond

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing correspondence

• correspondence course
• correspondence school

Kids Definition

correspondence

noun

cor·​re·​spon·​dence ˌkȯr-ə-ˈspän-dən(t)s 

1

a

: agreement between certain things

b

: a point of similarity

c

: a relation between sets in which each member of one set is matched to one or more members of the other set

2

a

: communication by letters

b

: the letters exchanged