calligraphy
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
3
: an ornamental line in drawing or painting
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.
Examples of calligraphy in a Sentence
she specializes in scrollwork with beautiful calligraphy
Recent Examples on the Web
As sociologist Mustapha Hashim Kurfi writes, in Hausa communities of northern Nigeria, calligraphy is deeply valued both as part of Islamic scholarship and as gorgeous embellishment for everything from building walls to horse blankets.
—
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 14 Sep. 2025
Finally, people seem drawn to the minimalist aesthetics associated with chanoyu, which have echoes in other Japanese practices such as dry rock gardening and calligraphy.
—Rebecca Corbett, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
Affluent area residents and Kyoto aristocratic families supported arts following classical traditions, funding Kōetsu’s production of ceramics, calligraphy, and lacquerware.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
When Meghan presents Smyth with a travel bag featuring her calligraphy, the chef recalls Meghan lending her artistic touch to the wedding menus.
—Erin Hill, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
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Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 14 Sep. 2025
Finally, people seem drawn to the minimalist aesthetics associated with chanoyu, which have echoes in other Japanese practices such as dry rock gardening and calligraphy.
—Rebecca Corbett, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
Affluent area residents and Kyoto aristocratic families supported arts following classical traditions, funding Kōetsu’s production of ceramics, calligraphy, and lacquerware.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
When Meghan presents Smyth with a travel bag featuring her calligraphy, the chef recalls Meghan lending her artistic touch to the wedding menus.
—Erin Hill, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for calligraphy
Cite this Entry
“Calligraphy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calligraphy. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
calligraphy
noun
cal·lig·ra·phy
kə-ˈlig-rə-fē
1
a
: beautiful handwriting
b
: the art of producing such handwriting
calligrapher
noun
-rə-fər
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