literati

plural noun

li·​te·​ra·​ti ˌli-tə-ˈrä-(ˌ)tē How to pronounce literati (audio)
Synonyms of literatinext
1
: the educated class
2
: persons interested in literature or the arts

Examples of literati in a Sentence

Boston's 19th-century literati often referred to their city as "the Athens of America"
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Founded by Gino Dal Cin, DC’s senior manager of development operations, the fair, designed to showcase individual artists and illustrators, cannot help but unite the local literati in perfect harmony. Kendall Morgan, Dallas Morning News, 12 Mar. 2026 The novel concerns itself, instead, with the fictitious poets Paul Vaughn and R. T. Wode, the former a twenty-seven-year-old member of the East Village literati, the latter his teen-age male lover. Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026 This social satire of snobby London literati is about authors, their lovers and muses, and the class dynamics that attract and repel them. James Folta, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026 While the other literati tackled heavy topics, Plimpton’s engaging, conversational prose goofed around on the fringes of pro sports. Stephen Siff, The Conversation, 26 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for literati

Word History

Etymology

obsolete Italian litterati, from Latin, plural of litteratus

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of literati was in 1620

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Cite this Entry

“Literati.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literati. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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