t

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈtē How to pronounce t (audio)
variants often T
plural t's or ts ˈtēz How to pronounce t (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: the 20th letter of the English alphabet
b
: a graphic representation of this letter
c
: a speech counterpart of orthographic t
2
: a graphic device for reproducing the letter t
3
: one designated t especially as the 20th in order or class
4
: something shaped like the letter T
5
: t formation
6
: technical foul
see also:
to a T

t

2 of 4

abbreviation (1)

1
metric ton
2
tablespoon
3
teaspoon
4
technical
5
temperature
6
[Latin tempore] in the time of
7
tense
8
tertiary
9
time
10
ton
11
township
12
transitive
13
troy
14
true

T

3 of 4

noun (2)

ˈtē How to pronounce T (audio)

T

4 of 4

abbreviation (2)

1
tera-
2
tesla
3
testosterone
4
thymine
5
toddler
6
tritium
7
T-shirt
Phrases
the T
slang
: private or inside information especially of a personal nature : the tea
—usually used in the phrase spill the T
… the eight remaining contestants reflect on their track records in Untucked and spill the T on who they consider their biggest competition for the crown.—Sam Damshenas

Did you know?

Words Starting With T

Browse 20,197 words and phrases that start with the letter T, from ta to Tzutuhil.

Examples of t in a Sentence

Noun (1) a word that begins with a t a word that begins with t
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In the state title game, Large took a handoff from the throwback Wing-T offense for a touchdown. — Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 For this unforgivable crime, Cunningham has been booed, faced protests, been criticized by other players, saw opposing coaches wear t-shirts specifically targeted at her. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026 The Angle Wedge Pillow's distinctive triangular shape cradles your legs and knees at a precise 45-degree angle to relieve tension in your back, while the Knee-T keeps legs, hips and spine in a neutral position to reduce pressure on your lower back. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026 Both the Grand Canyon and ML-T previously traded out the original 2021 floating auxiliary front roof lights for a beefier front light bar during a 2024 refresh. — New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for t

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Note: See note at tea.

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

2009, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of t was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing t

Browse Nearby Words

Szymborska
t
T
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“T.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/t. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

t

noun
tē
plural t's or ts
ˈtēz
often capitalized
: the 20th letter of the English alphabet

Medical Definition

T

1 of 2 abbreviation
1
tesla
2
thoracic
—used with a number from 1 to 12 to indicate a vertebra or segment of the spinal cord
multiple injuries with a fracture of T-12
3
thymine

T

2 of 2 symbol
1
absolute temperature
2
tritium

More from Merriam-Webster on t

Nglish: Translation of t for Spanish Speakers

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All