comparative literature

American  

noun

1. the study of the literatures of two or more groups differing in cultural background and, usually, in language, concentrating on their relationships to and influences upon each other.

---

Example Sentences

When I graduated from UC–Berkeley with my “useless” comparative literature degree, into one of the bleakest job markets in recent American memory, I thought to myself, There must be a loophole somewhere.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

In the humanities division, the cutbacks mean the school is pausing Ph.D. admissions for a year in disciplines like comparative literature, Germanic studies and art history.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

In the 1970s, he taught English and comparative literature at his alma mater, Columbia University.

From New York Times • May 10, 2024

“It’s not a hopeful book, it’s a pessimistic book,” said Devin Griffiths, an associate professor of English and comparative literature at the University of Southern California.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2024

He became librarian of the Biblioth�que Mazarine, and from 1841 was professor of comparative literature at the Coll�ge de France.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 8 "Chariot" to "Chatelaine" by Various