Meanings
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA large initial letter that drops below the first line of a paragraph, usually used at the beginning of a section or chapter of a book.
Also see
Translations
French lettrine
- lettrinelarge initial letter
German Initiale, Kapitale
- Initialelarge initial letter
- Kapitalelarge initial letter
Greek αρχίγραμμα, πρωτόγραμμα
- αρχίγραμμα (archígramma)large initial letter
- πρωτόγραμμα (protógramma)large initial letter
- λετρίνα (letrína)large initial letter
Hungarian süllyesztett iniciálé
- süllyesztett iniciálélarge initial letter
Portuguese capitular, letra capital
- capitularlarge initial letter
- letra capitallarge initial letter
Russian бу́квица
- бу́квица (búkvica)large initial letter
Swedish anfang
- anfanglarge initial letter
Cite this entry
APA
drop cap. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drop%20cap
MLA
“drop cap.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drop%20cap. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “drop cap,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drop%20cap.
Source: drop cap on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.