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illiteracy - 3 dictionary results

il⋅lit⋅er⋅a⋅cy

[i-lit-er-uh-see]
–noun, plural -cies for 3.
1. a lack of ability to read and write.
2. the state of being illiterate; lack of any or enough education.
3. a mistake in writing or speaking, felt to be characteristic of an illiterate or semiliterate person: a letter that was full of illiteracies.

Origin:
1650–60; illiter(ate) + -acy
il·lit·er·a·cy   (ĭ-lĭt'ər-ə-sē)   
n.   pl. il·lit·er·a·cies
  1. The condition of being unable to read and write.
  2. An error, as in writing or speech, made by or thought to be characteristic of one who is illiterate. See Usage Note at literate.
  3. The condition or quality of being ignorant or unknowledgeable in a particular subject or field: cultural illiteracy; scientific illiteracy.

Illiteracy

Il*lit"er*a*cy\, n.; pl. Illiteracies. [From Illiterate.]

1. The state of being illiterate, or uneducated; want of learning, or knowledge; ignorance; specifically, inability to read and write; as, the illiteracy shown by the last census.

2. An instance of ignorance; a literary blunder.

The many blunders and illiteracies of the first publishers of his [Shakespeare's] works. --Pope.
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