- Learning; acquaintance with letters or books. - The collective body of literary productions, embracing
the entire results of knowledge and fancy preserved in writing; also,
the whole body of literary productions or writings upon a given
subject, or in reference to a particular science or branch of
knowledge, or of a given country or period; as, the literature of
Biblical criticism; the literature of chemistry. - The class of writings distinguished for beauty of style
or expression, as poetry, essays, or history, in distinction from
scientific treatises and works which contain positive knowledge;
belles-lettres. - The occupation, profession, or business of doing
literary work.
Meaning of 'literature' (Princeton's WordNet)
1 . literature
[ n]
Meaning (1): - the humanistic study of a body of literature
Example in sentence:
he took a course in Russian lit
Meaning (2): - the profession or art of a writer
Example in sentence:
her place in literature is secure
Meaning (3): - published writings in a particular style on a particular subject
Example in sentence:
one aspect of Waterloo has not yet been treated in the literature;
Secondary literature Secondary literature in the social sciences, a scholar’s work about another scientist’s theory or writings. Textbooks and encyclopedias are secondary rather than primary literature.