text

1 of 2

noun

ˈtekst 

1

a(1)

: the original words and form of a written or printed work

(2)

: an edited or emended copy of an original work

b

: a work containing such text

2

a

: the main body of printed or written matter on a page

b

: the principal part of a book exclusive of front and back matter

c

: the printed score of a musical composition

3

a(1)

: a verse or passage of Scripture chosen especially for the subject of a sermon or for authoritative support (as for a doctrine)

(2)

: a passage from an authoritative source providing an introduction or basis (as for a speech)

b

: a source of information or authority

4

: theme, topic

5

a

: the words of something (such as a poem) set to music

b

: matter chiefly in the form of words or symbols that is treated as data for processing by computerized equipment

text-editing software

6

: a type suitable for printing running text

7

: textbook

8

a

: something (such as a story or movie) considered as an object to be examined, explicated, or deconstructed

b

: something likened to a text

the surfaces of daily life are texts to be explicated

—Michiko Kakutani

9

: frame of reference sense 2

updated to fit the women's lib text for consciousness raising

—Judith Crist

10

: text message

sent a text with the details

text

2 of 2

verb

texted ˈtek-stəd 

 nonstandard  ˈtekst

; texting

transitive verb

: to send a text message from one cell phone to another

intransitive verb

: to communicate by text messaging

texter noun

Synonyms

Noun

• handbook
• textbook
• manual
• dictionary

Examples of text in a Sentence

Noun

A good critic will refer back to the text often.

You can find the full text of his speech on his website.

the text of the Constitution

The book is mostly photographs—it has very little text.

At this point the website is only text. Graphics will be added later.

Students will read and discuss various literary texts.

Verb

I texted her a little while ago.

I texted a message to her.

She just texted me back.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. —Ryan Anderson, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025

The online system allows text or email alerts to be set up whenever a new message arrives. —Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025

Verb

And the two friends − who text each other regularly and were roommates on Capitol Hill − were even born in each other’s states. —Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025

Siwa sat on the stinky green room couch, eating her bowl in silence, scrolling through TikTok and willing her boyfriend to text her back from across the Atlantic Ocean. —Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French tiste, texte, from Medieval Latin textus, from Latin, texture, context, from texere to weave — more at technical

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1998, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing text

• alt text
• set book/text
• text edition
• text message
• text messaging

Rhymes for text

• flexed
• next
• sexed
• vexed
• ciphertext
• hypertext
• multiplexed
• teletext
• complexed
• deflexed
• perplexed
• plaintext

Kids Definition

text

1 of 2 noun

ˈtekst

1

: the original words of a work of literature

2

a

: the main body of printed or written matter on a page

b

: the main part of a book

3

a

: a passage from the Bible chosen for the subject of a sermon

b

: a subject on which one writes or speaks

4

: matter handled with a computer that is chiefly in the form of words

5

: textbook

6

: text message

text

2 of 2 verb

1

: to send a text message from one cell phone to another

2

: to communicate by text messaging