ENGLISH
REFERENCE

literary

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈɫɪtɝˌɛɹi// UK //lˈɪtəɹəɹi// lit·er·ary General-service

adj. connected to books and serious writing. You use this to describe someone who loves reading or a style of writing that is very artistic.

adj. relating to books and literature, especially those considered to have artistic merit. Often used to distinguish serious or academic writing from popular or commercial works.


SIMPLE

She has a very literary style of writing.

CONTEXTUAL

The city is famous for its literary history and was home to many great poets.

COMPLEX

While the plot is simple, the novel's rich literary allusions and complex metaphors suggest it was written for a highly educated audience.

Origin

From French littéraire.

Usage

Typically used to modify nouns like 'criticism', 'device', 'merit', or 'circle'.

Pitfall

He is a very literature personHe is a very literary personLearners often use the noun 'literature' as an adjective instead of the correct form 'literary'.

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