French word

littérature

Pronunciation

IPA/liteʁatyʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounliterature

Example

Je lis de la littérature contemporaine.

I read contemporary literature.

Illustration for littérature (literature)

More examples

Nous avons parlé de littérature hier.

We talked about literature yesterday.

Core concept

A shared body of crafted writing where language, form, and ideas invite sustained reading.

Common phrases

  • parler de littérature

    talk about literature

  • discuter de littérature

    discuss literature

Similar words

roman: A fictional work that develops a detailed story through characters and events.
livre: A published volume or digital book that gathers content in one place.
poésie: A short poetic expression of feelings or scenes through sound and form.

Definition in French

Ensemble d'œuvres écrites considérées pour leur valeur littéraire ou intellectuelle.

Word origin

Littérature comes from Latin litteratura, derived from littera ('letter'), and its sense grew from writing and learning about letters to literary works.

Usage tips

  • Littérature is feminine, so standard phrases include la littérature, de la littérature, and cette littérature.

Related words

Word lists with this word