Meanings
adjective
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see four-letter: containing four letters.
- Consisting of or characterised by swear words and profanity.
a four-letter reply, a four-letter insult, a four-letter tirade
Origin
Figurative use modelled on four-letter word.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
four-letter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/four-letter
MLA
“four-letter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/four-letter. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “four-letter,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/four-letter.
Source: four-letter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.