Skip to main content

literary — concerning the writing, study, or content of literature, especially of the kind valued for quality of form

Part of speech: ADJECTIVE

Definition: concerning the writing, study, or content of literature, especially of the kind valued for quality of form

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈlɪtəˌreri/

Example Sentences

  • His literary pretensions were obvious when he quoted obscure poetry during casual conversations.
  • The professor's literary analysis turned a simple love poem into a 200-page dissertation.
  • She joined a literary circle to discuss books and share her own creative writing.

literary

ADJECTIVE

[/ˈlɪtəˌreri/]

concerning the writing, study, or content of literature, especially of the kind valued for quality of form

She lives a literary life surrounded by old novels and handwritten notes.
💡 Concept

She lives a literary life surrounded by old novels and handwritten notes.

The critic examined the author's literary style and compared it with other works from the same period. (word family: literature → literary)
🧠 Mnemonic

The critic examined the author's literary style and compared it with other works from the same period. (word family: literature → literary)

The literary critic wrote a commentary and checked the difficult words in a dictionary while studying the novel.
🎵 Rhyme

The literary critic wrote a commentary and checked the difficult words in a dictionary while studying the novel.

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

Start FreeDemo

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈlɪtəˌreri/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈlɪtərəri/

🌳Etymology

Rootliter
Suffix--ary

Origin

The word derives from Latin litera, meaning 'letter' or 'character'. The suffix -ary (pertaining to) was added to form an adjective describing things related to or characteristic of written letters and their artistic use in literature.

Breakdown

litera (Latin: letter, character) + -ary (suffix: pertaining to, relating to)

🎵Rhyme

militarysolitarydictionary
military
solitary
dictionary

🔗Collocations

literary criticism
literary device
literary merit
literary work
literary magazine
literary agent
literary prize

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“His literary pretensions were obvious when he quoted obscure poetry during casual conversations.”

😄 Fun example

“The professor's literary analysis turned a simple love poem into a 200-page dissertation.”

“She joined a literary circle to discuss books and share her own creative writing.”

“The literary festival attracted writers and readers from around the world.”

📚Related Words

Want to master 27,000+ words?

Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.

Start for Free60s Demo