How do you pronounce illiterate?

The recorded pronunciation is /ɪˈlɪtəɹət/.

Where does illiterate come from?

It is traced to Middle English. First known use: First attested in 1425–1475.

illiterate

/ɪˈlɪtəɹət/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.37 in modern English

Syllables: il-lit-er-ate
IPA: /ɪˈlɪtəɹət/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Unable to read and write.

adj

Having less than an expected standard of familiarity with language and literature, or having little formal education.

adj

Not conforming to prescribed standards of speech or writing.

adj

Ignorant in a specified way or about a specified subject.

noun

An illiterate person, one either not able to read and write or not knowing how.

noun

A person ignorant about a given subject. (The relevant subject is usually named as a noun adjunct.)

Example Sentences

"About half of the population in Ethiopia is illiterate."
"If publique Aſſemblies of Divines cannot agree upon a right vvay, private Conventicles of illeterate men, vvill ſoon finde a vvrong. Bivious demurres breed devious reſolutions. Paſſengers to heaven are in haſte, and vvill vvalk one vvay or other."
"Not always does this ruse succeed however. The railways have undertaken publicity warning passengers about it, and have made a big difference in the appearance of long distance and short distance tickets, so that the most illiterate person can see the distinction. Some of these swindlers have been caught."
"Ignorant and ſuperſtitious wretches meaſure the actions of letterd and philoſophical men by the tattle of their nurſes or illiterate parents and companions, or by the faſhion of the country : and people of differing religions judge and condemn each other by their own tenents ; when both of them cannot be in the right, and it is well if either of them are."
"He's illiterate […] Seriously, how did he get into RI?"
"Now (exc. in Nautical language, see b) it is only dialectal or an illiterate substitute for lie, its identity of form with the past tense of the latter no doubt accounting largely for the confusion."

Etymology

First attested in 1425–1475, in Middle English; from Middle English illiterat(e) (“uneducated, ignorant of Latin”), borrowed from Latin illīterātus, illitterātus (“unlearned, ignorant”), itself from in- (“un-”) + līterātus, litterātus (“furnished with letters”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from lītera, littera (“letter, character”). The noun was derived from the adjective by substantivization, see -ate (noun-forming suffix).

Origin

Source language: Middle English
First known use: First attested in 1425–1475

Word Breakdown

Root: illiterat, illīterātus

Inflected Forms

more illiterate (comparative) most illiterate (superlative) illitterate (alternative, obsolete) illiterates (plural)

Derived Forms

illiteracy illiterately illiterateness nonilliterate

Phrases

computer illiterate e-illiterate

Frequently Paired Words

innumerate numerate semiliterate subliterate

Synonyms

analphabetic ignorant uncharactered unlettered analphabet illiterate person nonreader

Antonyms

literate

Rhymes With