literary

[ lit-uh-rer-ee ]
See synonyms for literary on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. pertaining to or of the nature of books and writings, especially those classed as literature: literary history.

  2. pertaining to authorship: literary style.

  1. versed in or acquainted with literature; well-read.

  2. engaged in or having the profession of literature or writing: a literary man.

  3. characterized by an excessive or affected display of learning; stilted; pedantic.

  4. preferring books to actual experience; bookish.

Origin of literary

1
1640–50; <Latin līterārius,litterārius of reading and writing. See letter1, -ary

usage note For literary

In this dictionary, the label Literary is assigned to an entry term or definition that is used rarely in contemporary speech or writing except to create a literary, poetic, or evocative effect.

Other words from literary

  • lit·er·ar·i·ly, adverb
  • lit·er·ar·i·ness, noun
  • non·lit·er·ar·i·ly, adverb
  • non·lit·er·ar·i·ly·ness, noun
  • non·lit·er·ar·i·ness, noun
  • non·lit·er·ar·y, adjective
  • o·ver·lit·er·ar·i·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·lit·er·ar·i·ness, noun
  • o·ver·lit·er·ar·y, adjective
  • pre·lit·er·ar·y, adjective
  • pseu·do·lit·er·ar·y, adjective
  • qua·si-lit·er·ar·y, adjective
  • un·lit·er·ar·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for literary

literary

/ (ˈlɪtərərɪ, ˈlɪtrərɪ) /


adjective
  1. of, relating to, concerned with, or characteristic of literature or scholarly writing: a literary discussion; a literary style

  2. versed in or knowledgeable about literature: a literary man

  1. (of a word) formal; not colloquial

Origin of literary

1
C17: from Latin litterārius concerning reading and writing. See letter

Derived forms of literary

  • literarily, adverb
  • literariness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012