US /ˈlɪt.ɚ.ə.t͡ʃɚ/ UK /ˈlɪt.(ə.)ɹə.t͡ʃə(ɹ)/
noun Freq #5894

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    Written works such as novels, poems, and plays valued as art.

    He's studying English literature at university.

  2. 2
    noun

    Written material on a particular subject.

    I read all the literature on the new medication.

  3. 3
    noun

    The published research and articles in an academic field.

    There is little literature on this rare disease.

Thesaurus

Word family
Forms literatures
Derived forms antiliteraturecyberliteratureddlce-literaturehyperliteratureilliteratureliteratizeliteraturedliteraturologyliteroticaloiteraturemetaliterature

Etymology

From Middle English literature, from Old French littérature, from Latin literatura or litteratura, from littera (“letter”), from Etruscan, from Ancient Greek διφθέρᾱ (diphthérā, “tablet”). Displaced native Old English bōccræft.

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