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letterhead

/ˈlet.ə.hed/
IELTSAcademic
noun

The printed heading at the top of a sheet of paper for letters or official documents. It usually shows a company, organisation, or person's name, address, and logo.

  • Please print the offer on company letterhead.
  • The contract arrived on official letterhead.
  • Her name and address appear on the letterhead.

Adinary Nuance

Letterhead is more specific than stationery or paper. Use letterhead when you mean the printed heading at the top of a page, not the whole sheet. In business writing, it also suggests formality and official approval. A memo can be on company stationery, but only the top printed part is the letterhead.

In other languages

Vietnamese
tiêu đề thư
Spanish
membrete
Chinese
信头
Japanese
レターヘッド
Korean
레터헤드

Etymology

Letterhead is a compound of letter and head. It has been used in English since the late 1800s for the top part of a sheet used for correspondence.

Common phrases

company letterheadofficial letterheadprinted on letterheadon letterhead

Synonyms

Related words

Frequently asked questions

Is letterhead the same as stationery?
No. Stationery means the paper or writing materials as a whole. Letterhead is the printed top section on that paper.
Is letterhead used in formal writing?
Yes. It is common in business, legal, and official documents.
Can I say on company letterhead?
Yes. This is a very common phrase in business English.
Do emails have letterhead?
Usually no. Letterhead is for printed or PDF documents, not plain emails.