typewriter

noun

type·​writ·​er ˈtīp-ˌrī-tər How to pronounce typewriter (audio)
1
: a machine for writing in characters similar to those produced by printer's type by means of keyboard-operated types striking a ribbon to transfer ink or carbon impressions onto the paper
2
: typist

Examples of typewriter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In this case, her typing, which is accompanied by the two soldiers (Justin Hopkins and Karl Huml) on their own typewriters, leads to a dismemberment Frankenstein-style. Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026 Justin Cappos, a professor of computer science at New York University, who studies software supply-chain security, likens the attack to a typewriter hiding a second message in plain sight. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2026 Our guy is just pecking away at his little typewriter or writing his memories in longhand. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026 Rumor has it that Danielle Steel uses a vintage typewriter, and James Joyce preferred writing in crayon. Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for typewriter

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of typewriter was in 1868

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Typewriter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typewriter. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

typewriter

noun
type·​writ·​er ˈtī-ˌprīt-ər How to pronounce typewriter (audio)
: a machine that prints letters or figures when a person pushes its keys down

More from Merriam-Webster on typewriter

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster