Alliterate, literate and illiterate are words that are very close in spelling and pronunciation, but have very different meanings. They are often confused. We will examine the definitions of the words alliterate, literate and illiterate, where these words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.
Alliterate means to use alliteration or to demonstrate alliteration. Alliteration is the use of the same consonant sound at the beginning of successive words or the beginning of successive syllables. Alliteration involves the repetition of sound, not letters. For instance, the phrase “catch a kettle of carp” shows alliteration, even though the “k” sound is spelled with both a k and a c. Alliteration in a literary work may be missed if the work is read silently. Alliteration is not rhyme, which involves successive words with the same ending sound, such as “the cat in the hat”. Alliteration is a literary device that is most often seen in poetry. The nursery rhyme Peter Piper is a good example of alliteration: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?” Many examples abound in the lyrics of Gilbert and Sullivan. For instance this line in the Major-General Song from the Pirates of Penzance: “I am the very model of a modern Major-General…” Note that alliteration is used in tongue-twisters, which are poems or phrases that are difficult to pronounce, especially quickly. The word alliterate was coined in the 1770s as a back-formation of the word alliteration, which in turn was derived from the Latin word alliterare which means to start with the same letter. Alliterate is an intransitive verb, which is a verb that does not take an object. Related words are alliterates, alliterated, alliterating. The adjective form is alliterative.
Literate describes someone who has the capability to read and write. The word literate may be used to mean being well-educated in a certain area. The amount of the world population who is literate has steadily risen over time, with better access to education and educational materials. The word literate is derived from the Latin word literatus, which means knowing letters, or educated. Literate is an adjective, related words are the noun literacy and the adverb literately.
Illiterate describes someone who is unable to read and write. Illiterate may also be used to mean someone who is generally uneducated or ignorant about a particular subject. The word illiterate is a result of adding the prefix in- to the word literate. In- means not or the opposite of something. Illiterate is an adjective, related words are the noun illiteracy and the adverb illiterately.
Examples
It would also be nice if that third adjective could alliterate with “free” and “fair”. (The Nation)
There’s much online debate about why all the characters – Suzy Sheep, Pedro Pony, Rebecca Rabbit – are alliterated apart from Peppa’s brother. (The Mirror)
If a child makes it past the third grade without mastering the ability to read, it is likely they will not be a highly literate adult. (The Park Record)
The United Nations Children Education Fund says Nigeria is losing out on a literate and skilled workforce it needs to grow economically due to huge number of out of school children. (The Eagle)
A dyslexic mother who has children in care has been branded an ‘illiterate’ complainant who makes ‘spurious allegations’ in an email sent to her in error by the head of Jersey’s Children’s Services. (The Jersey Evening Post)
One in four students leaves school unable to read, and will be “functionally illiterate” throughout his lifetime, the association Change for Equality reports Thursday in La Dernière heure, after analysis of PISA survey figures. (The Brussels Times)
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Recorded in English since 1556, from Latin illitteratus (“unlearned, ignorant”), itself from in- (“un-”) + litteratus (“furnished with letters”) (from littera (“letter, character”)).
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ɪˈlɪtəɹət/, /ɪˈlɪtɹət/
Adjective[edit]
illiterate (comparative more illiterate, superlative most illiterate)
- Unable to read and write.
-
1647, Theodore de la Guard [pseudonym; Nathaniel Ward], The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America. […], London: […] J[ohn] D[ever] & R[obert] I[bbitson] for Stephen Bowtell, […], →OCLC, page 37:
-
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.
-
-
- Having less than an expected standard of familiarity with language and literature, or having little formal education.
-
1722, William Wollaston, “Sect. V. Truths relating to the Deity. Of his exiſtence, perfection, providence, &c.”, in The Religion of Nature Delineated[1], page 81:
-
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.
-
-
- Not conforming to prescribed standards of speech or writing.
-
1908, “lay v.¹”, in James A. H. Murray [et al.], editors, A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volume VI, Part 1, London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 128:
-
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.
-
-
- Ignorant in a specified way or about a specified subject.
- economically illiterate, emotionally illiterate
Synonyms[edit]
- analphabetic
- ignorant
- uncharactered (obsolete)
- unlettered
Antonyms[edit]
- literate
Derived terms[edit]
- illiteracy
- illiterately
- illiterateness
Translations[edit]
unable to read and write
- Arabic: أُمِّيّ (ʔummiyy)
- Armenian: անգրագետ (hy) (angraget)
- Azerbaijani: savadsız
- Bashkir: наҙан (naðan)
- Belarusian: няпісьме́нны (njapisʹmjénny), нягра́матны (njahrámatny), неадукава́ны (njeadukavány)
- Bulgarian: негра́мотен (bg) (negrámoten), необразо́ван (bg) (neobrazóvan)
- Catalan: illetrat (ca), analfabet (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 文盲 (zh) (wénmáng)
- Czech: negramotný (cs) m, nevzdělaný
- Danish: analfabetisk
- Dutch: ongeletterd (nl), analfabeet (nl)
- Esperanto: analfabeta (eo)
- Finnish: lukutaidoton (fi)
- French: illettré (fr) m, illettrée (fr) f, analphabète (fr) m or f
- German: analphabetisch (de)
- Greek: αγράμματος (el) (agrámmatos)
- Ancient Greek: ἀγράμματος (agrámmatos)
- Hebrew: אַנְאַלְפָבֵּית (he) m (analfabét), אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ צוּרַת א’ (he) m (einó yodéa’ tzurát álef) (literary)
- Hindi: अशिक्षित (hi) (aśikṣit)
- Hungarian: analfabéta (hu), írástudatlan (hu)
- Indonesian: buta huruf (id), tunaaksara (id)
- Irish: neamhliteartha
- Italian: analfabeta (it)
- Japanese: 文盲の (ja) (もんもうの, monmou no), 読み書きができない (よみかきができない, yomikaki ga dekinai)
- Korean: 글을 모르다 (geureul moreuda), 문맹의 (ko) (munmaeng’ui)
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: نەخوێندەوار (nexwêndewar)
- Northern Kurdish: nexwendewar (ku), nexwenda (ku)
- Macedonian: неписмен (nepismen)
- Malay: tunaaksara, buta huruf
- Maori: kū(w)are-ā-tuhi
- Old English: unstæfwīs
- Persian: بیسواد (bi-savâd)
- Polish: niepiśmienny (pl) m, niegramotny (pl) (colloquial)
- Portuguese: analfabeto (pt), iletrado (pt)
- Romanian: analfabet (ro)
- Russian: негра́мотный (ru) (negrámotnyj), необразо́ванный (ru) (neobrazóvannyj)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: нѐписмен
- Roman: nèpismen (sh)
- Slovak: negramotný, nevzdelaný
- Slovene: nepismen
- Spanish: analfabeto (es), iletrado (es), ágrafo (es)
- Swedish: icke läskunnig (sv), analfabetisk (sv)
- Tagalog: dinulat, maang
- Ukrainian: негра́мотний (nehrámotnyj), неписьме́нний (nepysʹménnyj), неосві́чений (neosvíčenyj), неодуко́ваний (neodukóvanyj)
- Vietnamese: dốt nát (vi), mù chữ (vi), thất học (vi)
having less than an expected standard of familiarity with language and literature
- Armenian: անգրագետ (hy) (angraget)
- Bashkir: наҙан (naðan)
- Bulgarian: необразо́ван (bg) (neobrazóvan)
- Finnish: sivistymätön (fi), kouluja käymätön
- French: analphabète (fr)
- German: ungebildet (de), ungelehrt
- Greek: αναλφάβητος (el) (analfávitos)
- Hungarian: műveletlen (hu), tanulatlan (hu)
- Irish: ainléannta
- Italian: illetterato (it)
- Japanese: 無学の (むがくの, mugaku no)
- Malayalam: പഠിപ്പില്ലാത്ത (paṭhippillātta), നിരക്ഷരനായ m (nirakṣaranāya)
- Old English: unstæfwīs, unġelǣred
- Polish: analfabeta (pl) m, analfabetka (pl) f
- Portuguese: iletrado (pt)
- Russian: безгра́мотный (ru) (bezgrámotnyj), необразо́ванный (ru) (neobrazóvannyj), неве́жественный (ru) (nevéžestvennyj)
- Swedish: obildad (sv), illitterat (sv)
Translations to be checked
See also[edit]
- innumerate (adjective)
- numerate (adjective)
Noun[edit]
illiterate (plural illiterates)
- An illiterate person, one either not able to read and write or not knowing how.
- A person ignorant about a given subject.
- The government is run by business illiterates.
Synonyms[edit]
- analphabet
- analphabetic (noun)
Translations[edit]
an illiterate person
- Armenian: անգրագետ (hy) (angraget)
- Bulgarian: неграмотен (bg) m (negramoten)
- Catalan: analfabet (ca) m
- Chinese:
- Cantonese: 文盲 (man4 maang4)
- Hakka: 文盲 (vùn-mòng)
- Mandarin: 文盲 (zh) (wénmáng)
- Min Dong: 青盲牛 (chăng-màng-ngù)
- Min Nan: 青盲牛 (zh-min-nan) (chhiⁿ-mî-gû; chheⁿ-mê-gû)
- Danish: analfabet (da) c
- Dutch: ongeletterde (nl) m, analfabeet (nl) m
- Esperanto: analfabeto (eo)
- Finnish: lukutaidoton (fi)
- French: illettré (fr) m, illettrée (fr) f, analphabète (fr) m or f
- German: Analphabet (de) m, Analphabetin (de) f
- Greek: αναλφάβητος (el) m (analfávitos)
- Hungarian: analfabéta (hu)
- Italian: analfabeta (it) m or f by sense
- Japanese: 文盲 (ja) (もんもう, monmō), 非識字者 (hishikijisha)
- Korean: 문맹 (ko) (munmaeng)
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: نەخوێندەوار (nexwêndewar)
- Malayalam: നിരക്ഷരൻ (nirakṣaraṉ)
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: analfabet (no) m
- Nynorsk: analfabet m
- Persian: بیسواد (bi-savâd)
- Polish: analfabeta (pl) m, analfabetka (pl) f
- Portuguese: analfabeto (pt) m, analfabeta (pt) f
- Romanian: analfabet (ro) m, analfabetă (ro) f
- Russian: негра́мотный (ru) m (negrámotnyj)
- Spanish: analfabeto (es) m, analfabeta (es) f, iletrado (es) m, iletrada (es) f
- Swedish: analfabet (sv) c
See also[edit]
- innumerate (noun)
- numerate (noun)
References[edit]
- Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “illiterate”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Asked by: Macy Barton
Score: 4.3/5
(73 votes)
Is illiterate a bad word? Illiterate is the right term. The important thing is to use it in a neutral way and not write as if illiteracy deminishes a person’s value or innate intelligence. Referring to literacy as having levels is therefore more accurate than saying everyone is either literature or illiterate.
What does calling someone illiterate mean?
1 : having little or no education especially : unable to read or write an illiterate population. 2 : showing or marked by a lack of acquaintance with the fundamentals of a particular field of knowledge musically illiterate. 3a : violating approved patterns of speaking or writing.
Is it bad to be illiterate?
According to research, low literacy levels are often correlated with poor health outcomes, including higher rates of hospitalization and more frequent outpatient visits, than when compared to adults with higher levels of literacy.
What is the correct word for illiterate?
Some common synonyms of illiterate are ignorant, unlearned, unlettered, and untutored. While all these words mean «not having knowledge,» illiterate applies to either an absolute or a relative inability to read and write.
Is it politically correct to say illiterate?
Illiterate is politically correct already.
45 related questions found
What does Literation mean?
: the representation of sound or words by letters.
How can you tell if someone is illiterate?
Has a limited vocabulary. Has difficulty expressing simple ideas or abstract concepts. Prefers to memorize information rather than write it down. Regularly asks someone to write for them.
What is the root of illiterate?
illiterate (adj.)
early 15c., «uneducated, unable to read and write» (originally meaning Latin), from Latin illiteratus «unlearned, unlettered, ignorant; without culture, inelegant,» from assimilated form of in- «not, opposite of» (see in- (1)) + literatus «educated,» literally «furnished with letters» (see literate).
What is it called when you are uneducated?
unschooled, illiterate, ignorant, empty-headed, ignoramus, uncultivated, uncultured, unlearned, unrefined, untaught, benighted, uninstructed, know-nothing, lowbrow, unlettered, unread, untutored.
What is the opposite illiterate?
literate Add to list Share. If you’re literate you can read and write, and since you’re reading this, that’s what you are. Literate can also mean more than just being able to read and write, but being really fluent in a field. … The opposite of literate is illiterate.
Why is being illiterate bad?
Effects of Child Illiteracy
Children who have low literacy are more likely to get bad grades, have more school absences, and display behavioral issues. For children in school, poor literacy can make students feel incompetent, which can result in low self-esteem and isolation.
Are there people who are illiterate?
According to the International Literacy Association, there are 781 million people in the world who are either illiterate (cannot read a single word) or functionally illiterate (with a basic or below basic ability to read). … Non-U.S.-born adults make up 34 percent of the low literacy/illiterate U.S. population.
How many high schoolers are illiterate?
Without remedial work they cannot even begin, much less complete, the sophisticated training essential in much of the modern military. Nearly 20 percent of Americans in the U.S. workforce today are high school dropouts. About 25 percent of high school graduates are functionally illiterate.
What is illiterate individual?
Illiterate is defined as a person who never learned how to read. … The definition of illiterate is someone who is unable to read or write, or who is ignorant about a certain subject.
What is educated illiterate?
This term seems out of touch. Normally people who cannot read and write are termed as illiterate. So an educated person who can read and write can he be termed as illiterate. … We call them educated illiterate. But why do they lack common sense.
Does illiterate mean uneducated?
As adjectives the difference between illiterate and uneducated. is that illiterate is unable to read and write while uneducated is not educated.
How does an uneducated person behave?
An uneducated person is more open-minded, welcoming attitude towards others. An educated person is self-centered on the other hand. A person gains knowledge from experience as well. An uneducated person possesses valuable knowledge through their experience.
What makes a person uneducated?
Lack of books at home and lack of stimulation as to the importance of reading; Doing badly at or dropping out of school—many have not completed high school; Difficult living conditions, including poverty; Learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dysorthographia, etc.
What are the jobs for uneducated?
High Paying Jobs (With Little to No Formal Education)
- Bartender. Although bartending does require some skills (mixing drink) it is a relatively low experience job and requires no formal education. …
- Construction. …
- Mail Delivery. …
- Power Plant Operators. …
- Pilots. …
- Commercial Fishing.
What is a functional illiterate person?
Functional illiteracy means that a person cannot use reading, writing, and calculation skills for his/her own and the community’s development.
What is meant by functionally illiterate?
A person is functionally illiterate who cannot engage in all those activities in which literacy is required for effective functioning of his group and community and also for enabling him to continue to use reading, writing and calculation for his own and the community’s development.
What is a sentence for illiterate?
(1) A small but significant number of 11-year-olds are illiterate. (2) A surprising percentage of the population are illiterate. (3) About half the population in the country is still illiterate. (4) People judged to be functionally illiterate lack the basic reading and writing skills required in everyday life.
Can an illiterate person write?
If you’re illiterate, you won’t be able to participate. Illiterate, from the Latin illiteratus “unlearned, ignorant,” can describe someone unable to read or write, but it can also imply that a person lacks cultural awareness.
How long does it take illiterate adults to learn to read?
For adults who never learned how to read, the journey to becoming literate can take less than five months. If quite a bit of time is dedicated and the proper methods involving phonics are implemented, an adult can learn to read very quickly.
Why are some adults illiterate?
According to the Literacy Foundation, the most frequent causes of illiteracy in adults are having parents with little schooling, lack of books at home and lack of reading stimulation as a child, dropping out of school, difficult living conditions including poverty, and learning disabilities.
1
: having little or no education
especially
: unable to read or write
2
: showing or marked by a lack of acquaintance with the fundamentals of a particular field of knowledge
3
a
: violating approved patterns of speaking or writing
b
: showing or marked by a lack of familiarity with language and literature
Did you know?
Illiterate may be used in both specific and general senses. When used specifically, it refers to the inability to read or write. In a more general sense, illiterate may signify a lack of familiarity with some body of knowledge (as in being «musically illiterate») or indicate a lack of competence in or familiarity with literature.
Illiteracy may be contrasted with aliteracy, which is “the quality or state of being able to read but uninterested in doing so.” And in case you were wondering, a person who is unable to understand or perform basic mathematics, as opposed to reading, is innumerate.
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for illiterate
ignorant of nuclear physics
illiterate applies to either an absolute or a relative inability to read and write.
much of the population is still illiterate
unlettered implies ignorance of the knowledge gained by reading.
an allusion meaningless to the unlettered
untutored may imply lack of schooling in the arts and ways of civilization.
strange monuments built by an untutored people
unlearned suggests ignorance of advanced subjects.
poetry not for academics but for the unlearned masses
Example Sentences
Constantine is listed in the 1870 census as illiterate; 10 years later, he had learned to read and write. And when, in 1906, the local «colored school» was slated for destruction, Constantine arranged to save it by having it moved to this property.
—
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 1 Feb. 2006
Martin is not illiterate but I think close to it. I never saw him read a newspaper, for instance.
—Hayden Carruth, Reluctantly, 1998
In a time when nearly everyone was illiterate, before newspapers, radio, and television, how could the religious and iconographic detail of these apparitions have been so similar?
—Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World, 1996
She didn’t want anyone to know that she was illiterate.
She is politically illiterate and has never voted in an election.
He’s illiterate when it comes to computers.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
When Luke arrives on his tiny dragon Arrax, the great beast Vhagar rises up out of the background like freaking Godzilla, and its rider, Aemond One-Eye, awaits the kid in the hallway of the angry, illiterate Lord Borros Baratheon (Roger Evans).
—Sean T. Collins, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2022
Additionally, my extended family were generally college educated or more in a nation where a substantial number of people were (and are) illiterate.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2012
Kat is illiterate, so Paul reads him a letter from his wife.
—CNN, 17 Feb. 2023
In an impoverished region where 60 percent of women are illiterate and most residents live in basic homes with thatched roofs, the project seemed promising at first.
—Anant Gupta, Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2022
Most of Arabia was illiterate—including, in Islamic lore, Muhammad himself—so preserving the holy word for future generations was a duty, and a distinction, that fell to the hafizes.
—Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2023
Harry Hoosier traveled and preached to Black and white congregations and was a highly respected preacher and orator, despite being illiterate. Methodist believers who identified with his ministry became known as Hoosiers.
—Jenny Porter Tilley, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Jan. 2023
Rasputin was illiterate until his teen years, and his handwriting reflected his limited education.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 27 Oct. 2022
Close to two-thirds of Central Africans are illiterate.
—Roger Cohen Mauricio Lima, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘illiterate.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin illiteratus, from in- + litteratus literate
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of illiterate was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near illiterate
Cite this Entry
“Illiterate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illiterate. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on illiterate
Last Updated:
18 Mar 2023
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
неграмотный, безграмотный, неуч, невежда
прилагательное
- неграмотный
- необразованный
- безграмотный, изобилующий ошибками (о письме, речи и т. п.)
существительное
- неграмотный
- безграмотный, необразованный человек; невежда
Мои примеры
Словосочетания
functional illiterate — функционально неграмотный; практически неграмотный; малограмотный 
illiterate person — неграмотный человек
Примеры с переводом
It was an illiterate letter, full of mistakes.
Это было безграмотное письмо, полное ошибок.
He’s illiterate when it comes to computers.
В отношении компьютеров он совсем ничего не смыслит.
She had to teach a class of illiterates.
Ей пришлось преподавать в классе, где не умели ни читать, ни писать.
I’m disturbed that so many of the students appear to be illiterate.
Я обеспокоен тем, что так много студентов оказались безграмотными невеждами.
She is politically illiterate and has never voted in an election.
Она ничего не смыслит в политике, и никогда не голосовала на выборах.
Martin is not illiterate but I think close to it. I never saw him read a newspaper, for instance.
Мартин не то чтобы безграмотный, но, по-моему, где-то рядом. Я никогда не видел, чтобы он читал, например, газету.
She didn’t want anyone to know that she was illiterate.
Она не хотела, чтобы кто-нибудь знал, что она неграмотна.