literary
adjective
lit·er·ary
ˈli-tə-ˌrer-ē 
1
a
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of humane learning or literature
a literary education
a literary institution
b
: bookish sense 2
an essay written in a very literary style
c
: of or relating to books
a literary agent
a literary manuscript
2
a
: well-read
he is literary, given to quoting to himself rather long stretches of remembered lines—
F. J. Hoffman
F. J. Hoffman
b
: of or relating to authors or scholars or to their professions
her literary biographies
Examples of literary in a Sentence
Do his books have any literary merit?
Mystery fiction is only one of many literary forms.
an essay written in a very literary style
The author uses many literary devices in his work.
He entered the literary world right out of college.
She hired a literary agent.
Recent Examples on the Web
Here are some literary takeaways from all the indies angling for distribution deals this autumn.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
Its cobblestone streets transport you back in time, while literary fans may recognize the town as the longtime home of best-selling author Nicholas Sparks.
—Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2025
Her power and charisma, like her literary talent, were singular.
—Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The legendary counterculture singer, who performed at Kepler’s in the 1950s and ’60s, will be in conversation with Kimberly Ford, whose literary seminars are a Kepler’s staple.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for literary
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Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
Its cobblestone streets transport you back in time, while literary fans may recognize the town as the longtime home of best-selling author Nicholas Sparks.
—Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2025
Her power and charisma, like her literary talent, were singular.
—Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The legendary counterculture singer, who performed at Kepler’s in the 1950s and ’60s, will be in conversation with Kimberly Ford, whose literary seminars are a Kepler’s staple.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for literary
Cite this Entry
“Literary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literary. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
literary
adjective
lit·er·ary
ˈlit-ə-ˌrer-ē
1
a
: of or relating to literature
b
2
: of or relating to writers or writing as a profession
literarily
adverb
ˌlit-ə-ˈrer-ə-lē
literariness
noun
ˈlit-ə-ˌrer-ē-nəs
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