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

• 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

Email correspondence between Heaphy, May, Konya and Willkie Farr & Gallagher associate Fiona Carrol repeatedly incorrectly dated the SJSU vs. Colorado State game as taking place Oct. 2, as seen in public records. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025

This study of Toni Morrison’s tenure as a senior editor at Random House draws on interviews, archival research, and correspondence to cast her as a formidable driver of cultural change. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 23 June 2025

Since her departure, the character has been referenced onscreen, whether through phone calls or other correspondence. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 21 June 2025

Shuts Down Schools Over Birth Rate Decline Supreme Court Delivers Major Setback for Transgender Community Newsweek chose not to name the person who sent the email as well as the senior official named in the correspondence to protect their privacy. —Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025

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