ENGLISH
REFERENCE

literate

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɫɪtɝət// UK //lˈɪtəɹət// lit·er·ate Archaic

adj. able to read and write. It also describes someone who has a good basic knowledge of a specific subject.

adj. possessing the ability to read and write; by extension, having competence or knowledge in a specific area.


SIMPLE

Most children become fully literate by the age of seven.

CONTEXTUAL

In today's job market, being computer literate is just as important as having traditional academic qualifications.

COMPLEX

The government launched a nationwide initiative to ensure that even the most remote rural populations would become functionally literate within a decade.

Antonyms
Origin

Inherited from Middle English litterate, borrowed from Latin lītterātus, līterātus, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix). Doublet of literato and literatus. Displaced native Old English stæfwīs.

Usage

Often used with a qualifying adverb like 'computer', 'digitally', or 'scientifically' to indicate specific expertise.

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