Letterhead is the printed heading at the top of a sheet of paper used for official correspondence. It typically includes an organization's name, logo, address, and contact information like phone numbers or email addresses. When a company sends you a letter on their letterhead, you can see at a glance who it's from and how to reach them.

Before email became common, businesses and organizations used letterhead for almost all their formal communications. A letter on official letterhead looked more professional and trustworthy than one written on plain paper. Law firms, schools, hospitals, and businesses all had their own distinctive letterheads printed on high-quality paper.

The word can also refer to the special paper itself. If someone says, “We need to order more letterhead,” they mean the printed stationery sheets. Many organizations still use letterhead today for important documents like contracts, official announcements, or formal invitations, even though most everyday communication happens through email. Some email programs even let you add a digital version of letterhead to your messages, keeping that professional look in the modern world.