Leaflet and Letter

A. Leaflet

A leaflet in botany is a part of a compound leaf. A leaflet may resemble an entire leaf, but it is not borne on a stem as a leaf is, but rather on a vein of the whole leaf. Compound leaves are common in many plant families. For example, a tomato plant has compound leaves with leaflets.

Leaflets borne on the central vein of a leaf are referred to as pinnae; the compound leaves themselves are described as pinnate. A plant may be further subdivided in that the pinnae are themselves split into leaflets, or pinnules; these leaves are now twice pinnate, or bipinnate. A few plant species even have tripinnate leaves.

B. Letter

1. a. A written symbol or character representing a speech sound and being a component of an alphabet.

b. A written symbol or character used in the graphemic representation of a word, such as the h in Thames. See Note at Thames.

2. A written or printed communication directed to a person or organization.

3. A certified document granting rights to its bearer. Often used in the plural.

4. Literal meaning: had to adhere to the letter of the law.

5. letters (used with a sing. verb)

a. Literary culture; belles-lettres.

b. Learning or knowledge, especially of literature.

c. Literature or writing as a profession.

6. Printing

a. A piece of type that prints a single character.

b. A specific style of type.

c. The characters in one style of type.

7. An emblem in the shape of the initial of a school awarded for outstanding performance, especially in varsity athletics.

1. To write letters on.

2. To write in letters.

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