Word
literacy
Phoneticslit·er·a·cy
US/ˈɫɪtɝəsi/
UK/lˈɪtəɹəsi/
Definitions
01reading and writing
n. the ability to read and write your own language.
n. the ability to read and write at a functional level within a society.
“The government is investing more money to improve adult literacy in rural areas.”
“Despite significant investment in the primary education system, adult literacy rates remained stubbornly low in the most isolated provinces.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the general ability to read and write.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02knowledge of a subject
n. having enough knowledge or skills to understand a specific subject well.
n. competence or knowledge in a specified area, often used with a qualifying noun.
“In today's world, computer literacy is just as important as reading.”
“The curriculum aims to foster financial literacy among teenagers, ensuring they understand the long-term implications of compound interest and debt.”
Academic
Usage
Often functions as the second part of a compound noun, such as 'digital literacy' or 'media literacy'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Millions of jobs across Asia could be at risk as the AI industry booms at the expense of poorer nations still struggling to provide basic digital access and literacy, UN economists said on Tuesday.” “But there is a shift in recruitment, with some companies now prioritising "AI literacy" in their new graduate hiring.” Etymology
From literate + -cy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Collocations
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/literacy