Literary
/ˈlɪtərəri/noun
Relating to literature, books, or writing as an art form.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin littera, meaning “letter,” and its deeper root is tied to the idea of scratching marks into a surface — writing as an act of making traces that last.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leip-
“To stick, adhere; later associated in daughter languages with marks and traces”
Latin
Latin
littera
“A letter of the alphabet; a written character”
Late Latin
Latin
litterarius
“Of or belonging to letters, reading, or learning”
Old French
Old French
literaire
“Pertaining to letters, scholarship, or written works”
Middle English
English
literarie
“Of or relating to learning, books, or letters”
Modern English
English
literary
“Relating to literature or writing as an art form”
Explore more surprising origins