literati
Americanplural noun
singular
literatus-
people engaged in literary pursuits, especially professional writers.
The lounge at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City was a well-known haunt of the literati during the 1920s.
-
learned people and scholars considered as a class.
university literati in their ivory tower.
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of literati
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin līterāti, litterāti “learned, liberally educated people,” noun use of plural of līterātus, litterātus; literate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These days, the online literati despises Shriver as a matter of principle.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026
In the world of literature, for example, authors who are “othered” outside of the elite literati typically are boxed into othering themselves just to parlay their creativity into a career.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 24, 2023
In a move that could cause certain members of the East Coast literati to lose their minds, the New York book scene is about to take up residence in Santa Monica.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2023
The subjects included poor children, literati, movie stars and more, captured with an engaged and searching eye.
From New York Times • Dec. 8, 2022
The Velascos presided over a coterie of literati at Burgos; the Duke of Villahermosa, at Zaragoza, affected to delight in the company of the brilliant and learned.
From Southern Spain by Calvert, A. F. (Albert Frederick)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
