Literature
/ˈlɪtərətʃər/
Definitions
3 meaningsWritten works, especially those considered of artistic merit, especially prose fiction and drama.
/ˈlɪtərətʃər/
Written works, especially those considered of superior quality.
The course will examine the key themes in modern literature.
💡 Simply: Literature is like a collection of amazing stories and poems written down. Think of your favorite books – those are literature!
👶 For kids: Literature is just fancy words that people write down in books!
More Examples
His research focused on 19th-century Russian literature.
The library boasts an extensive collection of world literature.
How It's Used
"The university offers a comprehensive program in English literature."
"She enjoys reading classic literature."
The body of written works concerning a particular subject or field.
/ˈlɪtərətʃər/
Body of writings on a particular subject.
She conducted a literature search to identify relevant studies.
💡 Simply: Think of all the books and articles about a specific topic. That's the literature on that subject!
👶 For kids: When people write books or articles about the same thing, that's called literature too!
More Examples
The article provides a comprehensive review of the literature on climate change.
The professor assigned a list of essential literature for the seminar.
How It's Used
"A thorough review of the existing literature revealed several gaps in the research."
"The study is based on the relevant literature on the subject."
The activity of writing and producing books, poems, and other creative works, or the body of such works.
/ˈlɪtərətʃər/
The activity of writing and producing books, poems, etc.
His dedication to literature earned him a prestigious award.
💡 Simply: Think of the process of writing books and creating stories; that is also called literature!
👶 For kids: When people are writing or making stories and books, it's also called literature!
More Examples
She viewed literature as a powerful tool for social commentary.
The conference brought together scholars and practitioners of literature.
How It's Used
"Her passion for literature led her to become a published novelist."
"The course is designed to encourage students' appreciation for literature."
Idioms & expressions
literary device
A technique used by writers to create a specific effect.
"The author frequently used symbolism as a literary device."
literature review
A scholarly examination of the existing research on a topic.
"The research project began with a comprehensive literature review."
From Latin *litteratura* ('writing formed with letters'), derived from *littera* ('letter'). Originally referred to the art of letters and writing; later encompassed all written works, especially those of artistic merit.
The term 'literature' has evolved from referring solely to written works to include the body of works on a particular subject.
Memory tip
Imagine letters forming beautiful art – that's literature!