letters

/ˈkæp.ɪ.təl/ (bre, ipa) · [lˈɛtɚz] /ˈkæp.ə.t̬əl/ (ame, ipa) · [lˈɛtɚz] /ˈle-tər How to pronounce letter (audio)/ (ame, mw)

letters — noun

1. the study of literature and the activity of writing about serious books, poems,

1.名詞C1
釋義

the study of literature and the activity of writing about serious books, poems, and plays — refers to the whole world of literary knowledge and those who produce or study it.

例句

Professor Okafor spent forty years teaching letters at the University of Lagos.

used with singular verb: 'letters ... teaching'

Aylin was awarded a doctorate in letters for her work on Persian poetry.

同義詞
  • literature

    more common and refers to the creative works; 'letters' emphasizes the scholarly tradition

  • belles-lettres

    a French loan phrase meaning elegant or artistic writing, more formal and less common

  • humanities

    broader field including philosophy, history, and arts alongside literature

反義詞
  • science

    the academic study of the natural world, seen as distinct from the humanities

文法句型

letters + singular verb

man/woman of letters

用法筆記

Treated as an uncountable plural noun — it takes a singular verb ('Letters is a demanding field'). Usually modified by an academic field or institution name.

常見錯誤

❌I studied letters at university as part of my English degree.
✅I studied literature at university as part of my English degree.
💡'letters' is the broader field of literary scholarship; 'literature' refers to the works themselves.
❌Letters are my favourite subject.
✅Letters is my favourite subject.
💡even though 'letters' ends in -s, it takes a singular verb.