literature

/ˈlɪtrətʃə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈlɪtrətʃər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈli-tə-rə-ˌchu̇r ˈli-trə-ˌchu̇r, ˈli-tər-ˌchu̇r, ˈli-tə-, -chər, -ˌtyu̇r -ˌtu̇r/ (ame, mw)

literature — noun

1. books, stories, poems, and plays that people value as art because of their beaut

1.名詞B1
釋義

books, stories, poems, and plays that people value as art because of their beauty, imagination, or deep ideas, rather than for their facts or practical instructions.

例句

In her literature class, Tamar read novels by authors from Japan and Brazil.

literature class + [country] authors

The professor asked the students to compare two works of modern European literature.

modern European literature

同義詞
  • writings

    broader term — includes non-artistic texts too

  • fiction

    narrower — only invented stories, not poetry, drama, or nonfiction prose

  • letters

    formal/old-fashioned; rarely used in everyday conversation

反義詞
  • nonfiction

    writing that presents facts rather than artistic imagination

文法句型

literature + of + language/place/period

literature + modifier (modern/classical/children's)

用法筆記

Often paired with a language, country, or period name (e.g. Japanese literature, Victorian literature). It is uncountable — refer to a single item as a work of literature or a literary work.

常見錯誤

❌I read a literature last night.
✅I read a work of literature last night.
💡Literature is uncountable; use 'a work of literature' or 'a literary work' for one item.
❌She studies literatures from around the world.
✅She studies literature from around the world.
💡Literature is usually uncountable even when referring to multiple traditions.

2. the collection of published writings, research reports, and articles by experts

2.名詞B1
釋義

the collection of published writings, research reports, and articles by experts that deal with a particular subject.

例句

The doctor reviewed the latest medical literature before choosing a treatment.

medical literature + verb review/search

Adisa searched for literature on sustainable farming methods for his research paper.

同義詞
  • research

    focuses on investigation and findings rather than the published writings themselves

  • publications

    broader — includes any published material, not just by experts

  • scholarship

    formal; emphasises academic quality and method

文法句型

literature + on/about + topic

literature review

用法筆記

Typically followed by on or about + topic (e.g. literature on climate change). The compound noun literature review is extremely common in academic English and refers to a section of a research paper that summarises existing studies.

常見錯誤

❌Where can I find the literature of diabetes?
✅Where can I find the literature on diabetes?
💡Use 'on' or 'about', not 'of', when referring to writings about a topic.

3. printed materials such as leaflets, brochures, or newsletters that a company or

3.名詞B2
釋義

printed materials such as leaflets, brochures, or newsletters that a company or organization produces to advertise its products, services, or opinions.

例句

The travel agency sent us some literature about holiday packages in Thailand.

literature about [destination/product]

Tariq picked up some literature about solar panels at the home improvement fair.

同義詞

文法句型

literature + about/on + product/topic

用法筆記

Uncountable even here — you cannot say literatures in this sense. In modern business English, the term can also refer to digital brochures and PDFs, not only printed sheets.

常見錯誤

❌The company sent me some literatures.
✅The company sent me some literature.
💡Remains uncountable even for promotional materials.

4. the activity or profession of writing novels, poems, plays, or other creative wo

4.名詞B2
釋義

the activity or profession of writing novels, poems, plays, or other creative works as a paid career or serious artistic pursuit.

例句

After retiring from teaching, Élise decided to devote herself to literature.

devote oneself to literature

Rin hopes to earn a living through literature after finishing her first novel.

同義詞
  • writing

    broader and less formal; includes journalism and technical writing

  • authorship

    formal; emphasises being the creator of a written work

文法句型

pursue/devote oneself to + literature

earn a living through + literature

用法筆記

Less common in everyday speech than sense 1. This sense treats literature as a job or vocation rather than as the body of written works. Students of creative writing and literary criticism are the most likely users.

常見錯誤

❌She went into literature as an accountant.
✅She went into literature after working as an accountant.
💡When referring to a profession, 'literature' means writing, not an office job in publishing.