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Latin alphabet
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The letters A, B, and C appear in white lettering on a green chalkboard background superimposed with a world map.
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Playwright Arthur Miller works on a new play at his typewriter in the study of his New York apartment on July 21, 1959.
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Latin alphabet

writing system
Also known as: Roman alphabet
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

Latin alphabet, the most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world, the standard script of the English language and the languages of most of Europe and those areas settled by Europeans. Developed from the Etruscan alphabet at some time before 600 bce, it can be traced through Etruscan, Greek, and Phoenician scripts to the North Semitic alphabet used in Syria and Palestine about 1100 bce. The earliest inscription in the Latin alphabet appears on...

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