Word
illiteracy
Phoneticsil·lit·er·a·cy
US/ˌɪˈɫɪtɝəsi/
UK/ɪlˈɪtəɹəsi/
Definition
n. the state of being unable to read or write. It is a serious problem that makes it hard for people to get an education or find work.
n. the state of being unable to read or write. Often used in sociological or educational contexts to describe a lack of basic literacy skills within a population.
Examples
“The government is working to reduce adult illiteracy.”
“High levels of illiteracy in the region made it difficult for farmers to access new agricultural techniques.”
“While the country has made significant progress in primary education, functional illiteracy remains a persistent barrier to economic mobility for many rural residents.”
Examples
simple
“The government is working to reduce adult illiteracy.”
contextual
“High levels of illiteracy in the region made it difficult for farmers to access new agricultural techniques.”
complex
“While the country has made significant progress in primary education, functional illiteracy remains a persistent barrier to economic mobility for many rural residents.”
Etymology
From il- + literacy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/illiteracy