literature

noun

lit·​er·​a·​ture ˈli-tə-rə-ˌchu̇r 

ˈli-trə-ˌchu̇r, 

ˈli-tər-ˌchu̇r, 

ˈli-tə-, 

-chər, 

-ˌtyu̇r 

-ˌtu̇r

1

a(1)

: writings in prose or verse

especially : writings having excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest

Literature stands related to Man as Science stands to Nature …

—J. H. Newman

(2)

: an example of such writings

What came out, though rarely literature, was always a roaring good story.

—People

b

: the body of writings on a particular subject

scientific literature

c

: the body of written works produced in a particular language, country, or age

French literature

Renaissance literature

d

: printed matter (such as leaflets or circulars)

campaign literature

2

: the production of literary work especially as an occupation

Literature is his profession.

3

: the aggregate of a usually specified type of musical compositions

the Brahms piano literature

4

archaic : literary culture

Examples of literature in a Sentence

She took courses in history and literature.

Her education gave her an appreciation for great literature.

He's an expert in American literature.

the literature of the Renaissance

studies in different Asian literatures

Can you send me some literature about your product?

Recent Examples on the Web

To trace the solar events that caused these auroras, Miyahara and her colleagues looked for spikes of telltale atomic variations trapped in 13th-century tree rings, using Medieval literature to guide their search. —Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2026

The science fiction New Wave of the 60s and 70s complicated Gernsback’s notion about the proper relationship between science and literature and in the process produced something new and valuable. —Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026

Tirzepatide has come out on top in multiple literature reviews and trials. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026

Today, this is the basis of the Japanese sense of the seasons, which has also had a great influence on literature in Japan, especially with regard to haiku, the 17-syllable Japanese poem that has attained international popularity. —Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin litteratura writing, grammar, learning, from litteratus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Phrases Containing literature

• gray literature

Kids Definition

literature

noun

lit·​er·​a·​ture ˈlit-ə-rə-ˌchu̇(ə)r  ˈli-trə- 

-chər

1

: written works having excellence of form or expression and ideas of lasting and widespread interest

2

: written material (as of a period or on a subject)