This article is about "letter", a written message from one party to another. For other uses, see Letter (disambiguation).

A letter is a written message from one party to another. Letters are usually intended to be received by someone far away. Before widespread availability of typewriters and computers, letters were always written by hand. Nowadays, that is still done, mainly for informal letters. The term letter is sometimes used for e-mail messages with a formal letter-like format.

Letters are usually delievered by a postal service after a stamp has been bought and pasted on the envelope containing the letter. Letters are traditionally a more sentimental form of communication.

Types of letters

• Chain letter
• Junk mail
• Open letter
• Letters patent
• Letter of marque
• Letter of Credence
• Letter of credit
• Epistle

See also

• Address
• Envelope
• Lettrisme
• Letterbox
• Mail
• Manuscript
• Penpal
• Postmaster
• Postmaster General
• Post office
• Postage stamp
• Private Express Statutes
• Snail mail
• Stationery
• Typography
• Universal Postal Union