belles-lettres

[ French bel-le-truh ]

/ French bɛlˈlɛ trə /

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See synonyms for: belles-lettres / belletristic / belletrist on Thesaurus.com

plural noun

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

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

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of belles-lettres

1700–10; from French: literally, “fine letters.” See belle, letter¹

synonym study for belles-lettres

1. See literature.

OTHER WORDS FROM belles-lettres

bel·let·rist

[bel-le-trist], /bɛlˈlɛ trɪst/, nounbel·let·ris·tic

[bel-li-tris-tik], /ˌbɛl lɪˈtrɪs tɪk/, adjective

Words nearby belles-lettres

Bellefontaine Neighbors, Belle Glade, Belle Isle, bellend, Bellerophon, belles-lettres, belletrist, Belleville, Belleville spring, Bellevue, bellflower

How to use belles-lettres in a sentence

Charles de la Rue, a French Jesuit, died; distinguished as an orator and poet and a professor of belles-lettres.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
There are usually three lectures daily; the first on sciences, and the other two on belles lettres.
Travels through the South of France and the Interior of Provinces of Provence and Languedoc in the Years 1807 and 1808|Lt-Col. Pinkney
In a single department of belles-lettres he had shown mastery.
Washington Irving|Henry W. Boynton
Among his contributors of belles lettres we find the names of the authors just mentioned, and also several others.
The History of Yiddish Literature in the Nineteenth Century|Leo Wiener

They consequently reflect, like the belles lettres, the conditions under which the Jews are laboring.
The History of Yiddish Literature in the Nineteenth Century|Leo Wiener

British Dictionary definitions for belles-lettres

belles-lettres

/ (French bɛllɛtrə) /

noun

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

Word Origin for belles-lettres

C17: from French: fine letters

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

belles-lettres

Origin of belles-lettres

synonym study for belles-lettres

OTHER WORDS FROM belles-lettres

Words nearby belles-lettres

Words related to belles-lettres

How to use belles-lettres in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for belles-lettres

Word Origin for belles-lettres