Letter

(let'tür.) [Fr. lettre, from L. liter a.] A mark or character written, printed, or engraved; used as the representative of a sound, or of an articulation of the human organs of speech. They are divided into vowels and consonants, and the latter into mutes and liquids. Diphthongs, also, are included in the cla ification.(Print.) Type, understood collectively; as, black-letter. -L. OF ATTORNEY. (Law.) A writing by which a person appoints another to do a lawful act in his stead, as to receive debts, & c. It is also called Power of Attorney. -L. OF CREDIT. (Com.) See CREDIT. L. OF MARQUE. An extraordinary commi ion granted by the government to commanders of merchant-ships or others, in time of war, to make reprisals on the enemy. The ship so commi ioned is also called a letter of marque. See PRIVATEER.- LETTERS PATENT. (Law.) See PATENT. [s. 540]