Dictionary.com

literacy

[ lit-er-uh-see ]
/ ˈlÉȘt ər ə si /
Save This Word!

noun
the quality or state of being literate, especially the ability to read and write.
possession of education: to question someone's literacy.
a person's knowledge of a particular subject or field:to acquire computer literacy;improving your financial literacy.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Origin of literacy

First recorded in 1880–85; liter(ate) + -acy

OTHER WORDS FROM literacy

an·ti·lit·er·a·cy, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use literacy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for literacy

literacy
/ (ˈlÉȘtərəsÉȘ) /

noun
the ability to read and write
the ability to use language proficiently
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
FEEDBACK