love letter

Noun

love letter (plural love letters)

1. A letter written to express the author's love for the intended reader.
   • We never see each other, but have been sending love letters every Valentine's Day for 10 years.
   • Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language[…]; his clerks, however, understood him very well. If he had written a love letter, or a farce, or a ballade, or a story, no one, either clerks, or friends, or compositors, would have understood anything but a word here and a word there. For his...1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   billet-doux

2. (figuratively) A work that shows great passion or enthusiasm for something.
   • This movie is a love letter to New York.
   • From beginning to end, Homecoming: The Live Album is a love letter from Beyoncé to the Black culture that made her who she is, a celebration of the extraordinary creativity and power of Black people and our experience. For us, by us.2019 April 17, Ineye Komonibo, “Beyoncé Dropped Another Album While You Were Sleeping”, in Marie Claire
3. (US, slang) A notice from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection informing about the seizure of a personal shipment as contraband.
   • Dr Martin says the address the package has been sent to will likely get a "love letter" in the post from Customs.2016 August 2, Nick Jarvis, “What Happens if You're Caught Getting Drugs in the Mail?”, in Vice
4. (Malaysia, Singapore) A thin crispy biscuit roll similar to the Spanish barquillo, Dutch kniepertjes, and Norwegian krumkake. Usually made from coconut milk, eggs, flour, sugar, and oil. This food item has many names: in Malay, kuih/kueh/kue kapit/sepit/sapit/semprong (literally "clamped/tongs/roll cake/snack"); in Chinese, 蛋卷 (literally "egg roll"). The name "love letter" probably arises from the flowery patterns, Chinese characters, animals, etc. (that were probably introduced by Peranakans). Usually eaten only around festivals such as Chinese New Year or Hari Raya Puasa. Sometimes also folded (rather than rolled). Note: while "egg roll" is a name sometimes used for this food item in Singapore and Malaysia, in the West, the name "egg roll" usually refers to a very different, savoury Chinese-American food item that is usually served hot and has little or no egg.