belles-lettres

[bel-le-tr^uh]

plural noun

1. literature regarded as a fine art, especially as having a purely aesthetic function.

2. light and elegant literature, especially that which is excessively refined, characterized by aestheticism, and minor in subject, substance, or scope.

belles-lettres

/ bɛllɛtrə /

noun

1. (functioning as singular) literary works, esp essays and poetry, valued for their aesthetic rather than their informative or moral content

Other Word Forms

• belletrist noun
• belletristic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of belles-lettres¹

1700–10; from French: literally, “fine letters.” See belle, letter ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of belles-lettres¹

C17: from French: fine letters

Synonym Study

See literature.

Example Sentences

“Both anatomy and belles-lettres are of equally noble descent,” Chekhov once wrote to his publisher, adding that they share “identical goals and an identical enemy—the Devil.”

From The New Yorker

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what separates a mere commentator from a producer of belles-lettres, but you know it when you read it.

From Salon

More recently in Carmel there have been a great number of literary men about, but there is not the old flavor, the old dignity of the true belles-lettres.

From Literature

“It gives voice to every possible articulation of crime and mystery in belles-lettres,” she said.

From New York Times

Dandies, it seems, are dandy; but belles-lettres is better.

From The New Yorker

Related Words

• article 
• biography 
• brochure 
• composition 
• drama 
• essay 
• history 
• information 
• leaflet 
• lore 
• novel 
• pamphlet 
• poetry 
• prose 
• research 
• story