semiliterate

[ sem-ee-lit-er-it, sem-ahy- ]

adjective

1. barely able to read and write.
2. capable of reading but not writing.
3. literate but poorly skilled or informed; lacking the proficiency of a literate person.

noun

1. a person who is semiliterate.

semiliterate

/ ˌsɛmɪˈlɪtərɪt /

adjective

1. hardly able to read or write
2. able to read but not to write

Other Words From

• sem·i·lit·er·a·cy [sem-ee-, lit, -er-, uh, -see, sem-ahy-], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of semiliterate¹

First recorded in 1925–30; semi- + literate

Example Sentences

Erik Rush, a semiliterate “pundit” of no repute, tweeted that Saudis should be aggressively profiled at American airports.

From The Daily Beast