literary
literary Lexical Profile
literary Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Concerning the writing, study, or content of literature, especially of the kind valued for quality of form and artistic expression.
"Her latest novel won several prestigious literary awards for its richly layered prose."
Characteristic of polite or formal written works rather than everyday spoken language.
"The archaic pronoun is now confined almost exclusively to formal and literary contexts."
Well-read, scholarly, or deeply interested in books and writing.
"The café became a popular gathering spot for young artists and literary types."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'literary' (relating to literature and written works of artistic merit) with 'literal' (taking words in their exact, non-figurative sense) or 'literate' (able to read and write).
• Rhymes for literary
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-17th century from Latin litterarius ('of or belonging to reading and writing'), derived from littera ('letter of the alphabet' or, in the plural, 'literature, learning').