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
What to expect: A sophisticated library-meets-Art Deco setting with a literary theme, a cocktail menu inspired by Florida’s stories, and high-end mixology led by Jaclyn Keogh.
—Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
While Whelan might not be a household name, her impact on the literary landscape is undeniable.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
Investigative medical drama Watson puts a new spin on the classic literary characters as Dr. John Watson focuses on solving medical mysteries.
—EW.com, 30 July 2025
While recent decades have seen video game and literary adaptations, the property has remained largely dormant on the screen since 2003.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for literary
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Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
While Whelan might not be a household name, her impact on the literary landscape is undeniable.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
Investigative medical drama Watson puts a new spin on the classic literary characters as Dr. John Watson focuses on solving medical mysteries.
—EW.com, 30 July 2025
While recent decades have seen video game and literary adaptations, the property has remained largely dormant on the screen since 2003.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 25 July 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 7 Aug. 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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