literati

[ lit-uh-rah-tee ]

plural noun

, singular lit·e·ra·tus [lit-, uh, -, rah, -t, uh, s, ‐-, rey, ‐].

1. 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.

2. learned people and scholars considered as a class:

   university literati in their ivory tower.

literati

/ ˌlɪtəˈrɑːtiː /

plural noun

1. literary or scholarly people

Word History and Origins

Origin of literati¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin līterāti, litterāti “learned, liberally educated people,” noun use of plural of līterātus, litterātus; literate

Word History and Origins

Origin of literati¹

C17: from Latin

Example Sentences

On recent travels, she taught in Paris at a New York University summer school program, mingled with New York City’s glittery literati and gave readings around the world.

From New York Times

The floating ships in the fantasy role-playing game Honkai: Star Rail are populated with traders, gourmets and literati who surf their texts on jade abacuses.

From New York Times

What was supporting the grand mansions and the literati in England in the middle of the 19th century?

From Los Angeles Times

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

When East Coast literati ask themselves this question, they often answer: Joan Didion.

From New York Times

Related Words

• department
• institute
• personnel
• staff
• university