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Definition of longhand

longhand

/ˈlɔːŋ.hænd/
long · hand
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longhand Lexical Profile

longhand Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Ordinary handwriting in which words are written out in full, as opposed to shorthand, typing, or printing.

Example

"She took all her lecture notes in neat, legible longhand."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• adjective

1

Written out in full by hand using ordinary letters and words rather than shorthand or typing.

Example

"The archive contains several of the novelist's original longhand manuscripts."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• adverb

1

In ordinary handwriting with words written out in full rather than in shorthand or type.

Example

"He still prefers to draft his first chapters longhand in a spiral notebook."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

longform
longhair
longhaired
longhand
longhorn
longhouse
longing

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-17th century from "long" and "hand" (in the sense of handwriting), formed by analogy with "shorthand" to distinguish full, ordinary script from abbreviated stenography.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Longhand. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/longhand
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