illiterate

(ĭ-lĭt'ər-ĭt)
adj.

1. 1. Unable to read and write.
   2. Having little or no formal education.
2. 1. Marked by inferiority to an expected standard of familiarity with language and literature.
   2. Violating prescribed standards of speech or writing.
3. Ignorant of the fundamentals of a given art or branch of knowledge: musically illiterate. See Usage Note at literate.

[Middle English, from Latin illīterātus : in-, not; see in-¹ + līterātus, literate; see literate.]

illiterate il·lit'er·ate n.
illiterately il·lit'er·ate·ly adv.
illiterateness il·lit'er·ate·ness n.

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adjective

Without education or knowledge: ignorant, nescient, uneducated, uninstructed, unlearned, unschooled, untaught. See knowledge/ignorance.

adj

Definition: unable to read well; lacking education
Antonyms: able, educated, learned, literate, taught

IN BRIEF: Not able to read or write.

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. — Alvin Toffler, U.S. writer.

Tutor's tip: If you know how to "alliterate" (repeat an initial consonant sound in two or more words), chances are you're not "illiterate" (unable to read or write).

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

For a list of words related to illiterate, see:

• Stupid, Ignorant, or Confused

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See words rhyming with "illiterate."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Illiterate.

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - kan ikke læse og skrive, udannet, uvidende
n. - analfabet

Nederlands (Dutch)
ongeletterd, analfabetisch, analfabeet

Français (French)
adj. - analphabète, illettré, d'illettré
n. - analphabète, les analphabètes

Deutsch (German)
n. - Analphabet
adj. - analphabetisch

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - αναλφάβητος
adj. - αναλφάβητος, αγράμματος, αμόρφωτος

Italiano (Italian)
analfabeta

Português (Portuguese)
n. - analfabeto (m)
adj. - iletrado

Русский (Russian)
неграмотный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - analfabeto, iletrado
n. - analfabeto, persona que no sabe leer ni escribir

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - analfabet, obildad person
adj. - illitterat, inte läs- och skrivkunnig, obildad, inte språkriktigt

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
不识字的, 没受教育的, 文盲

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 不識字的, 沒受教育的
n. - 文盲

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 무식한, 문맹한, 교양이 없는
n. - 무식자, 문맹자

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 読み書きのできない, 文盲の, 無学の
n. - 文盲の人, 教養のない人

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) شخص أمي (صفه) جاهل بالقراءة والكتابه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮בור, לא יודע קרוא וכתוב, אנאלפביתי‬
n. - ‮בור‬

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