analphabetic
analphabetic — adjective
- analphabeticpositive
- more analphabeticcomparative
- most analphabeticsuperlative
1. having no skill in reading or writing at all; never having learned to understand
having no skill in reading or writing at all; never having learned to understand written words
Emilia's grandfather remained analphabetic his whole life, signing papers with a thumbprint.
remain + analphabetic
The village school opened a night class for analphabetic adults in the district.
Before the war, nearly half the region's population was analphabetic, with no schools nearby.
An analphabetic farmer cannot read the instructions printed on a bag of fertiliser.
Nadia taught herself to read at forty-two after decades of being analphabetic.
- illiterate
the everyday equivalent; carries more social stigma
- unlettered
a gentler, old-fashioned term used in historical or literary contexts
- non-literate
anthropological term for someone from a society without writing; avoids negative judgement
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in formal academic writing about literacy. In everyday English, use 'illiterate' instead.
常見錯誤
2. describing a written mark or sign that is not part of the alphabet — for example
describing a written mark or sign that is not part of the alphabet — for example, a punctuation symbol, a number, or a character from a different writing system
The ampersand (&) is an analphabetic symbol that writers use instead of the word 'and'.
analphabetic symbol — e.g. &, @, %
Dmitri's password needed an analphabetic character — he added a dollar sign at the end.
Chinese writing uses analphabetic signs — each one stands for a whole word or idea.
The shop sign had analphabetic marks — a star, a heart, and a waving hand.
Rashid studied the analphabetic marks cut into the stone beside the Roman letters.
- non-alphabetic
a more common variant with the same meaning
- non-letter
simpler, more informal alternative
- alphabetic
being one of the letters of the alphabet
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (NON-ALPHABETIC SYSTEM): this sense describes individual characters and symbols, not entire writing systems.
3. describing a system of writing in which sounds are shown by groupings of marks,
describing a system of writing in which sounds are shown by groupings of marks, not by individual letters standing alone
Egyptian hieroglyphs form an analphabetic writing system where groups of signs represent sounds.
analphabetic writing system — e.g. hieroglyphs, cuneiform
Professor Amara studied how analphabetic scripts changed into alphabetic ones over centuries.
Riku examined the analphabetic tablet, tracing how one sign could stand for a whole spoken word.
The clay tablet showed an analphabetic script that kept its secrets for three thousand years.
Cuneiform is an analphabetic way of writing — each sign uses several small wedge marks.
- non-alphabetic
broader term; can apply to both single symbols and whole systems
- logographic
specifically describes systems where signs represent whole words, not sounds
- alphabetic
using single letters to represent individual sounds
用法筆記
Used only in linguistics. Distinguish from sense 2 (NOT A LETTER), which applies to single marks rather than entire systems of writing.
analphabetic — noun
1. a person who has no reading or writing ability
a person who has no reading or writing ability
Fabiana's great-uncle was an analphabetic who built a successful farm without ever reading.
an analphabetic — used as a countable noun
The charity runs reading programmes for analphabetics in the city's poorest areas.
Jun-ho worked with analphabetics who wanted to learn basic writing skills late in life.
Tariq, an analphabetic, could not read the letter his son sent from the city.
The old sailor was an analphabetic, yet he could find his way by the stars.
- illiterate
the common everyday term for a person who cannot read or write
- non-reader
neutral, functional term often used in education and development contexts
- literate
a person who can read and write
用法筆記
The plural is 'analphabetics'. This noun form is less common than the adjective; most writers prefer 'analphabetic person' or 'illiterate person' in modern English.