adjective
- pertaining to or of the nature of books and writings, especially those classed as literature: literary history.
- pertaining to authorship: literary style.
- versed in or acquainted with literature; well-read.
- engaged in or having the profession of literature or writing: a literary man.
- characterized by an excessive or affected display of learning; stilted; pedantic.
- preferring books to actual experience; bookish.
adjective
- of, relating to, concerned with, or characteristic of literature or scholarly writinga literary discussion; a literary style
- versed in or knowledgeable about literaturea literary man
- (of a word) formal; not colloquial
adj.1640s, “pertaining to alphabet letters,” from French littéraire, from Latin literarius/litterarius “belonging to letters or learning,” from littera/litera “letter” (see letter (n.1)). Meaning “pertaining to literature” is attested from 1737.