Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

literacy

/ˈlɪtəɹəsi/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.90 in modern English

Syllables
li-ter-a-cy
IPA
/ˈlɪtəɹəsi/
13
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The ability to read and write.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The ability to understand and evaluate something.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From liter(ate) + -acy.

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈlɪtəɹəsi/
  • British English: /ˈlɪtəɹəsi/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Antonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce literacy?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlɪtəɹəsi/.
What does literacy mean?
The ability to read and write.
Where does literacy come from?
From liter(ate) + -acy.

How to pronounce literacy

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “literacy”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈlɪtəɹəsi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “literacy”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “literacy” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.