typewritten
Meaning
Written using a typewriter or a device that produces similar printed characters.
Structure
Usage
The manuscript must be submitted in typewritten form, not handwritten.
She found a box of old typewritten letters from the 1940s in the attic.
The contract, though typewritten, contained several handwritten amendments.
Etymology
The word 'typewritten' is a modern English compound adjective formed in the late 19th century, coinciding with the widespread adoption of the typewriter. It logically combines 'type,' referring to the mechanical process of striking characters, with the past participle 'written,' indicating the completed action. The term distinguishes text produced by a machine from that produced by handwriting, encapsulating the shift in office technology. Its formation follows a straightforward English pattern where a noun ('type') modifies a verb's participle to describe the method of creation.
Analysis
- type: From Latin 'typus' (figure, form), via Greek 'typos' (blow, impression, model). In this compound, it functions as the object/means of the action, meaning "using a typewriter." - written: From Old English 'writan' (to score, write), past participle 'written'. In this compound, it functions as the main verb action in its completed, adjectival form.