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literate

[ lit-er-it ]
/ ˈlɪt ər ɪt /
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See synonyms for literate on Thesaurus.com
adjective
noun
a person who can read and write.
a learned person.
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Origin of literate

1400–50; late Middle English <Latin līterātus,litterātus learned, scholarly. See letter1, -ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM literate

lit·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. 2022

Words related to literate

cultured, educated, knowledgeable, cultivated, instructed, learned, lettered, scholarly, schooled

British Dictionary definitions for literate

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 forms of literate

literately, 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
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