literary English · revision 6092

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1646|origins=la littera}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈlɪt.ər.ər.i/, /ˈlɪt.ər.i/, US /ˈlɪt̬.ə.rer.i/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|littéraire]] and directly [[bor|la|litterārius|t=belonging to letters or learning]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|littera|t=letter]] (see [[letter]]) and the suffix [[m|la|-ārius]] (see [[-ary]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Pertaining to the letters of the alphabet: 1646, a sense obsolete by the late 18th century.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 1750s literary could mean carried on by letters, epistolary.^(OED 1989) Pertaining to books and written compositions is from 1749,^(OED 1989) and to literature specifically from 1737 in Barnhart and Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Versed in literature, or engaged in it as a profession, is from 1785.^(OED 1989) The OED notes that the word does not appear in Johnson's ''Dictionary'' (1755), despite his part in the literary life of the time.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) Of painting or sculpture, depicting a story, is from 1928.^(OED 1989) In the United States a literary was also a literary club or society (1904).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1646 – pertaining to letters of the alphabet.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1737 – pertaining to literature.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1785 – versed in literature.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1928 – of art that tells a story.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of, relating to or dealing with [[literature]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of writers or the profession of writing.^(AHD)

+ # Fond of or well read in literature.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of words or style, suited to literature rather than everyday speech; [[bookish]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[literarily]]

+ * [[literariness]]

+ * [[extraliterary]]

+ * [[overliterary]]

+ * [[preliterary]]

+ * [[pseudoliterary]]

+ * [[subliterary]]

+ * [[unliterary]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[letter]]

+ * [[literacy]]

+ * [[literal]]

+ * [[literate]]

+ * [[literature]]

+ * [[obliterate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}