definitions

literate

[ lit-er-it ]
/ ˈlɪt ər ɪt /
|

adjective

noun

a person who can read and write.
a learned person.

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Nearby words

literalize, literally, literary, literary agent, literary executor, literate, literately, literati, literatim, literation, literator

Origin of literate

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin līterātus, litterātus learned, scholarly. See letter1, -ate1
SYNONYMS FOR literate
3, 5 well-informed, knowledgeable.
Related formslit·er·ate·ly, adverban·ti·lit·er·ate, adjective, nounan·ti·lit·er·ate·ly, adverbun·lit·er·ate, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for literately

literate

/ (ˈlɪtərɪt) /

adjective

able to read and write
educated; learned
used to words rather than numbers as a means of expressionCompare numerate

noun

a literate person
Derived Formsliterately, adverb

Word Origin for literate

C15: from Latin litterātus learned. See letter
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

Word Origin and History for literately

literate

adj.

"educated, instructed," early 15c., from Latin literatus/litteratus "educated, learned," literally "one who knows the letters," formed in imitation of Greek grammatikos from Latin littera/litera "letter" (see letter (n.1)).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper