Phrase guide

open letter

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A letter addressed to one person, or more, but published (as for example in a newspaper) for the public to read.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a letter of protest; addressed to one person but intended for the general public

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: letter, missive

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: açıq məktub — published letter
  • Chinese Mandarin: 公開信 /公开信 (gōngkāixìn) — published letter
  • Crimean Tatar: açıq mektüp — published letter
  • Czech: otevřený dopis — published letter
  • Finnish: avoin kirje — published letter
  • French: lettre ouverte — published letter
  • Georgian: ღია წერილი (ɣia c̣erili) — published letter
  • German: offener Brief — published letter
  • Hungarian: nyílt levél — published letter
  • Japanese: 公開状 (kōkaijō) — published letter
  • Japanese: 公開書簡 (kōkai shokan) — published letter
  • Polish: list otwarty — published letter
  • Romanian: scrisoare deschisă — published letter
  • Russian: откры́тое письмо́ (otkrýtoje pisʹmó) — published letter
  • Turkish: açık mektup — published letter
  • Vietnamese: bức thư ngỏ — published letter