literature
gb/lˈɪtɚət͡ʃɚ/ us/lˈɪtɚət͡ʃɚ/
B1
English
~ 1800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
artistic written works
Books, stories, poems, and plays that are valued for their ideas or artistic style.
Usage pattern:
[someone] studies/reads literature
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'literature' with 'literate'; 'literature' refers to written works, while 'literate' describes a person who can read and write.
Synonyms
writing (More general; can include non-artistic or functional text.)
|
fiction (Refers specifically to invented stories, not all literature.)
Antonyms
nonfiction (Written works based on facts rather than imagination.)
Collocations
world literature
|English literature
|classic literature
|modern literature
|literature course
Themes
arts
|education
|culture
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- She majored in English literature at university.
- This museum has a section dedicated to 19th-century French literature.
- Literature often reflects the culture of its time.
- He spends most of his evenings reading classic literature.
Learner examples
- I like to read English literature.
- She studies French literature at school.
- We talked about modern literature in class.
- He reads a lot of world literature.
Noun
B2
entity
2
written works on a topic
All the writing about a certain subject, often used in research.
Usage pattern:
literature on [a topic]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with artistic literature; here it refers to any written work on a subject, not necessarily creative.
Synonyms
publications (General term for printed or digital works; not necessarily comprehensive on a subject.)
|
research (Focuses more on the process and findings than the written record itself.)
Antonyms
oral tradition (Knowledge passed by word of mouth rather than written form.)
Collocations
medical literature
|scientific literature
|existing literature
|review of the literature
Themes
education
|research
|science
Examples
- The medical literature shows mixed results on this treatment.
- He reviewed the existing literature before starting his experiment.
- There is little literature on this rare plant species.
- Scholars often conduct a review of the relevant literature.
Learner examples
- I read the literature on this topic.
- There is much scientific literature about climate change.
- She found new information in the medical literature.
- He studied all the literature about this subject.
Noun
B2
entity
3
printed promotional materials
Printed papers that give information about something, often for selling or promoting it.
Common mistake:
Some learners may think 'literature' always means books; here it can mean short printed materials for business or marketing.
Synonyms
brochures (Specific type of promotional literature.)
|
leaflets (Small sheets of paper with printed information; usually less formal.)
Collocations
promotional literature
|marketing literature
|product literature
Themes
business
|marketing
|communication
Examples
- The company sent me some promotional literature about their new software.
- Please hand out the product literature at the trade show.
- You can request marketing literature from their website.
Learner examples
- I read the product literature before buying the phone.
- They gave us marketing literature at the shop.
- The company sent me promotional literature.
Grammar
Dictionary form
literature
IPA
GB/lˈɪtɚət͡ʃɚ/
US/lˈɪtɚət͡ʃɚ/
Syllables & stress
lit - er - at - ure (4 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (lit)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: literature
- Plural: literature, literatures
Word family
Expressions
classic literature
1/klˈæsɪk lˈɪtɚət͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
widely respected enduring works
Books and writings that are very old and famous for their quality and importance.
Examples
- Classic literature often uses language that is different from today's English.
- Many students are required to read classic literature in school.
review of the literature
1/ɹɪvjˈu əv ðə lˈɪtɚət͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
survey of existing writings on a topic
A careful study of all the writing about a certain subject, usually before doing research.
Examples
- Her thesis began with a detailed review of the literature.
- A review of the literature revealed several gaps in current research.
scientific literature
1/sˌaɪəntˈɪfɪk lˈɪtɚət͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
published scientific writings
Articles and papers that report on science research and experiments.
Examples
- The scientific literature contains many studies on climate change.
- New findings are quickly added to the scientific literature.
world literature
1/wˈɚld lˈɪtɚət͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
global body of writings
Books, stories, and poems from many countries and cultures.
Examples
- She is taking a course in world literature this semester.
- World literature helps readers understand different cultures.