literary
[ lit-uh-rer-ee ]
/ ˈlɪt əˌrɛr i /
adjective
pertaining to or of the nature of books and writings, especially those classed as literature: literary history.
pertaining to authorship: literary style.
versed in or acquainted with literature; well-read.
engaged in or having the profession of literature or writing: a literary man.
characterized by an excessive or affected display of learning; stilted; pedantic.
preferring books to actual experience; bookish.
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Origin of literary
usage note for literary
In this dictionary, the label Literary is assigned to an entry term or definition that is used rarely in contemporary speech or writing except to create a literary, poetic, or evocative effect.
OTHER WORDS FROM literary
Words nearby literary
literal-minded, literalism, literality, literalize, literally, literary, literary agent, literary executor, literate, literati, literatim
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for nonliterary (1 of 2)
nonliterary
/ (nɒnˈlɪtərərɪ, -ˈlɪtrərɪ) /
adjective
not of, relating to, concerned with, or characteristic of literature or scholarly writing
British Dictionary definitions for nonliterary (2 of 2)
literary
/ (ˈlɪtərərɪ, ˈlɪtrərɪ) /
adjective
of, relating to, concerned with, or characteristic of literature or scholarly writinga literary discussion; a literary style
versed in or knowledgeable about literaturea literary man
(of a word) formal; not colloquial
Derived forms of literary
literarily, adverbliterariness, nounWord Origin for literary
C17: from Latin litterārius concerning reading and writing. See letter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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