braille

noun, often capitalized \ˈbrā(ə)l\

: a system of writing for blind people in which letters are represented by raised dots

Full Definition of BRAILLE

: a system of writing for the blind that uses characters made up of raised dots

— braille transitive verb

— braill·ist \ˈbrā-list\ noun

See braille defined for English-language learners

See braille defined for kids

Illustration of BRAILLE

Origin of BRAILLE

Louis Braille

First Known Use: 1853

Rhymes with BRAILLE

ail, ale, bail, bale, Bâle, brail, Braille, dale, fail, flail, frail, Gael, gale, Gale, grail, hail, hale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, pail, pale, quail, Quayle, rail, sail, sale, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tael, tail, taille, tale, trail, vail, vale, veil, wail, wale, whale, Yale

Braille

biographical name \ˈbrāl, ˈbrī\

Definition of BRAILLE

Louis 1809–1852 Fr. blind teacher of the blind

Rhymes with BRAILLE

ail, ale, bail, bale, Bâle, brail, braille, dale, fail, flail, frail, Gael, gale, Gale, grail, hail, hale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, pail, pale, quail, Quayle, rail, sail, sale, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tael, tail, taille, tale, trail, vail, vale, veil, wail, wale, whale, Yale

BRAILLE Defined for Kids

braille

noun , often cap \ˈbrāl\

Definition of BRAILLE for Kids

: a system of printing for the blind in which the letters are represented by raised dots

Word History of BRAILLE

Born in France in 1809, Louis Braille became completely blind at the age of five due to an accident. A brilliant student, he worked on a system of reading raised dots by touch while still a teenager. The writing and printing system named after him was not widely adopted until after his death in 1852.

Medical Dictionary

braille

noun , often capitalized \ˈbrā(ə)l\

Medical Definition of BRAILLE

: a system of writing for the blind that uses characters made up of raised dots

—braille transitive verb, brailled braill·ing

Biographical Note for BRAILLE

Braille \brȧy\ Louis (1809–1852), French inventor and teacher. Braille was blind and while at a school for the blind in Paris met Charles Barbier. Barbier had devised a system of writing for the blind in which simple messages coded in dots were embossed on cardboard. In 1824 Braille started work on adapting this system, developing a system in which a six-dot code represented letters and characters. He published treatises on his system in 1829 and 1837.

Illustration of BRAILLE

Learn More About BRAILLE

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "braille"

Nglish: Translation of "braille" for Spanish speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about "braille"

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