lettermark

English

Etymology

letter +‎ mark

Noun

lettermark (plural lettermarks)

1. (marketing, communication, typography) A text-only logo consisting of the initials of a brand name or business.
2. (US, politics) The designation of funds from the federal budget for a particular project created in response to a letter from a member of congress to an official in the executive branch who is responsible for authorizing appropriations.
   • 2015 April, James Dawson, “Curbing Lettermarks”, in Yale Journal on Regulation, volume 32, number 1:

     Part I documents the rise of lettermarking and explains how lettermarks damage American democracy.

Verb

lettermark (third-person singular simple present lettermarks, present participle lettermarking, simple past and past participle lettermarked)

1. (US, politics) To obtain a lettermark on funds from the federal budget by sending a letter (from a member of Congress) to the appropriate official in the executive branch who is responsible for authorizing appropriations.
   • 2022, Sarra Jenkins, Emma Kilheeney McSherry, US Politics Annual Update 2022:

     Appropriations bills sometimes include funds for projects not requested by the executive branch. This allow members of Congress to 'lettermark' these funds by unofficially contacting executive officials directly and requesting that the funds are directed to their state or district.

2. To mark (something) with one or more letters of the alphabet to indicate its brand or category.
   • 1871 July, Rev. C. E. Weiser, “The Fourfold Culture of Man”, in Mercersburg Quarterly Review, volume 18, page 347:

     We send young men "to College," hale and hearty, and the College sends them back duly stamped, — " letter-marked," i.e. invalids.

   • 1877, Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, William Carew Hazlitt, Essays, tr. by C. Cotton:

     My Perigordin patois very pleasantly calls these pretenders to learning, lettre-ferits, as a man should say, lettermarked—men on whom letters have been stamped by the blow of a mallet.

   • 1993, Acta Hyperborea - Volumes 5-6, page 382:

     When the ship arrived at its destination, a local craftsman could assemble a vessel, orienting on the lettermarking.

See also

• earmark
• phonemark