literate

1 of 2

adjective

lit·​er·​ate ˈli-tə-rət 

 also  ˈli-trət

1

a

: educated, cultured

literate executives

b

: able to read and write

What percentage of the population is literate?

2

a

: versed in literature or creative writing : literary

literate novelists

b

: lucid, polished

a literate essay

c

: having knowledge or competence (see competent sense 2)

computer-literate

politically literate

literately adverb

literateness noun

literate

2 of 2

noun

1

: an educated person

2

: a person who can read and write

Synonyms

Adjective

• educated
• scholarly
• civilized

Examples of literate in a Sentence

Adjective

She is literate in both English and Spanish.

What percentage of the population is literate?

The job requires you to be computer literate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

For our enslaved ancestors who risked being whipped or sold for knowing how to read or write, simply being literate was a subversive act of rebellion and militant self-expression. —A'lelia Bundles june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025

This imagery has been done to death across the country and pop histories in which Cyrus is literate. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 June 2025

Noun

For all its challenges, China still has enormous economic advantages relative to India, including a literate, skilled, and comparatively healthy population; greater technological proficiency; and larger capital stocks. —Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025

The image that emerged is of a rare private-sector voice literate in both climate science and financial markets—and one willing to make the business case for climate to any audience. —Justin Worland, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English literat, from Latin litteratus marked with letters, literate, from litterae letters, literature, from plural of littera

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for literate

• illiterate

Kids Definition

literate

1 of 2 adjective

lit·​er·​ate ˈlit-ə-rət 

ˈli-trət

1

: educated sense 1, cultured

2

: able to read and write

3

: having knowledge or experience in a particular area

computer literate

literately adverb

literateness noun

literate

2 of 2 noun

1

: an educated person

2

: a person who can read and write