illiterate
Americanadjective
-
unable to read and write.
an illiterate group.
-
having or demonstrating very little or no education.
-
showing lack of culture, especially in language and literature.
-
displaying a marked lack of knowledge in a particular field.
He is musically illiterate.
noun
adjective
-
unable to read and write
-
violating accepted standards in reading and writing
an illiterate scrawl
-
uneducated, ignorant, or uncultured
scientifically illiterate
noun
Synonym Usage
See ignorant.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
illiteracynoun
-
illiteratenessnoun
-
semi-illiteratenessnoun
-
semi-illiterateadjective
-
illiteratelyadverb
-
semi-illiteratelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of illiterate
First recorded in 1550–60, illiterate is from the Latin word illiterātus unlettered. See il- 2, literate
Explanation
You can describe a person unable to read or write as illiterate. Karaoke, which involves singing out the words to songs as they scroll across a big screen, requires the ability to read. If you’re illiterate, you won’t be able to participate. Illiterate, from the Latin illiteratus “unlearned, ignorant,” can describe someone unable to read or write, but it can also imply that a person lacks cultural awareness. However, Walt Whitman saw a unique beauty to illiteracy: “There is that indescribable freshness and unconsciousness about an illiterate person that humbles and mocks the power of the noblest expressive genius.”
Vocabulary lists containing illiterate
I Am Malala
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Freak the Mighty
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
An Education Department study in 2024 found that 1 in 4 young adults are functionally illiterate, even though more than half received high-school diplomas.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
In her second term, she introduced a constitutional amendment to reserve 45 seats in the legislature for female MPs, and worked to educate young women - in a country where 70% of them were illiterate.
From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025
"Digital technology is an opportunity we cannot miss," she said, warning that "those who do not adapt risk becoming the illiterate of the 21st century".
From Barron's • Oct. 9, 2025
You would have to be culturally illiterate to be unfamiliar with Michael Jordan.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2025
Ralph Myers was illiterate, but he knew that it was the Morrison crime that was preoccupying law enforcement investigators.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
