Skip to the word

Added 8 October 2026

text

/tɛkst/ noun

In Latin: scrīptum, textus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about text at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A writing consisting of multiple glyphs, characters, symbols or sentences.
A book, tome or other set of writings.
Anything chosen as the subject of an argument, literary composition, etc.

verb

To send a text message to; i.e. to transmit text using the Short Message Service (SMS), or a similar service, between communications devices, particularly mobile phones.
Just text me when you get here.
To send and receive text messages.
Have you been texting all afternoon?
To write in large characters, as in text hand.

Origin

From Middle English text, from Old French texte, from Medieval Latin textus, from Latin textus (“style or texture of a work”), perfect passive participle of texō (“to weave”). Cognate to texture.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word