four-letter

adjective

four-let·​ter ˈfȯr-ˈle-tər How to pronounce four-letter (audio)
: of, relating to, or being four-letter words

Examples of four-letter 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 a moment near the end of our interview at the IndieWire Studio at Sundance, presented by Dropbox, Callum Turner gets sheepish about dropping a certain four-letter word. Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025 The living, breathing embodiment of the four-letter word Campbell so often preaches — Grit. Colton Pouncy, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025 Your first instinct for a four-letter [D.I.Y. website] was probably Etsy, on account of how frequently the site appears in the puzzle — but not this time. Sam Corbin, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025 Prescott’s reaction—a four-letter word that rhymes with Andrew Luck—certainly seemed genuine. Justin Birnbaum, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for four-letter 

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of four-letter was in 1897

Dictionary Entries Near four-letter

Cite this Entry

“Four-letter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/four-letter. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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