typewriter

noun

type·​writ·​er ˈtīp-ˌrī-tər How to pronounce typewriter (audio)
1
: a machine for writing in characters similar to those produced by printer's type by means of keyboard-operated types striking a ribbon to transfer ink or carbon impressions onto the paper
2
: typist

Examples of typewriter in a Sentence

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.
Denise has also been keeping secrets, chiefly about the manuscript for a novel she’s been banging out on a typewriter in the basement, one that happens to be about a woman who fantasizes about leaving her family behind for life in New York. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026 Before emails and computer processors, people used analog typewriters to document cargo details. — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 For one, there’s zombies, several horrifying creatures, and a typewriter. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 24 July 2026 The small table of vintage typewriters each displaying replica letters, sent home from foreign correspondents during those crucial years, is simple and highly effective. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for typewriter

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of typewriter was in 1868

Rhymes for typewriter

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Typewriter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typewriter. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

typewriter

noun
type·​writ·​er ˈtī-ˌprīt-ər How to pronounce typewriter (audio)
: a machine that prints letters or figures when a person pushes its keys down

More from Merriam-Webster on typewriter

Nglish: Translation of typewriter for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about typewriter

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