au pied de la lettre

adverb

au pied de la let·​tre
ō¦pyādəläˈletr(ᵊ),
-et(rə)
: literally
don't take everything I say au pied de la lettre

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, to the foot of the letter

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near au pied de la lettre

Cite this Entry

“Au pied de la lettre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/au%20pied%20de%20la%20lettre. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!