literary

[ lit-uh-rer-ee ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or of the nature of books and writings, especially those classed as literature:

   literary history.

2. pertaining to authorship:

   literary style.

3. versed in or acquainted with literature; well-read.
4. engaged in or having the profession of literature or writing:

   a literary man.

5. characterized by an excessive or affected display of learning; stilted; pedantic.
6. preferring books to actual experience; bookish.

literary

/ ˈlɪtrərɪ; ˈlɪtərərɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, concerned with, or characteristic of literature or scholarly writing

   a literary style

   a literary discussion

2. versed in or knowledgeable about literature

   a literary man

3. (of a word) formal; not colloquial

Usage Note

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.

Derived Forms

• ˈliterariness, noun
• ˈliterarily, adverb

Other Words From

• liter·ari·ly adverb
• liter·ari·ness noun
• non·liter·ari·ly adverb
• non·liter·ari·ly·ness noun
• non·liter·ari·ness noun
• non·liter·ary adjective
• over·liter·ari·ly adverb
• over·liter·ari·ness noun
• over·liter·ary adjective
• pre·liter·ary adjective
• pseudo·liter·ary adjective
• quasi-liter·ary adjective
• un·liter·ary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of literary¹

1640–50; < Latin līterārius, litterārius of reading and writing. See letter ¹, -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of literary¹

C17: from Latin litterārius concerning reading and writing. See letter

Example Sentences

Two thrillers with literary antecedents — “Cross” on Prime Video and “The Day of the Jackal” on Peacock — premiere Thursday.

From Los Angeles Times

After reading the letters, Anolik ditched her plans to revise “Hollywood’s Eve,” pivoting instead to write “Didion & Babitz,” an essential chronicle of a literary friendship.

From Los Angeles Times

Babitz’s letters reveal a complex touch-and-go friendship between the two: Didion jump-started Babitz’s literary career by writing a letter of recommendation to Rolling Stone then-editor Grover Lewis, who published Babitz’s story “The Sheik.”

From Los Angeles Times

One chapter looks at a literary example, William Wells Brown’s novel "Clotel," which is something of a fantasia on the Sally Hemings story.

From Salon

In 2012, the government of Rajasthan state sought the arrest of four Indian authors - Hari Kunzru, Ruchir Joshi, Amitava Kumar and Jeet Thayil - after they downloaded a few passages from the Satanic Verses and read them out at a literary festival in the city.

From BBC

Related Words

• classical
• scholarly