literature
pronunciation
How to pronounce literature in British English:
UK [ˈlɪtrətʃə(r)]
How to pronounce literature in American English:
US [ˈlɪtrətʃər]
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- Noun:
- creative writing of recognized artistic value
- the humanistic study of a body of literature
- published writings in a particular style on a particular subject
- the profession or art of a writer
Word Origin
- literature
- literature: [14] Latin littera meant ‘letter’, and was the source of English letter. From it was derived literātus ‘having knowledge of letters’, hence ‘educated, learned’ (source of English literate [15]); and this formed the basis of the further derivative litterātūra, which denoted ‘writing formed with letters’, and by extension ‘learning, grammar’. English took it over partly direct, partly via French littérature. From the same source comes English literal [14].=> letter, literal, obliterate
- literature (n.)
- late 14c., from Latin literatura/litteratura "learning, a writing, grammar," originally "writing formed with letters," from litera/littera "letter" (see letter (n.1)). Originally "book learning" (it replaced Old English boccræft), the meaning "literary production or work" is first attested 1779 in Johnson's "Lives of the English Poets" (he didn't include this definition in his dictionary, however); that of "body of writings from a period or people" is first recorded 1812. Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree. [Ezra Pound, "ABC of Reading"] Meaning "the whole of the writing on a particular subject" is from 1860; sense of "printed matter generally" is from 1895. The Latin word also is the source of Spanish literatura, Italian letteratura, German Literatur.
Example
- 1. Literature has its own internal rules of development .
- 2. Microfinance literature often highlights the benefits of borrowing groups .
- 3. The nation 's literature is suffused with this sentiment .
- 4. There is surprisingly little literature on this topic .
- 5. By contrast , much of the existing literature finds no statistically significant relationship between individual happiness and intelligence .