literacy

The word “literacy” means the ability to read and write. In plain terms, being able to read and write, or having a solid grasp of a specific skill or subject area.

“Literacy” is pronounced LIH-tuh-ruh-see (/ˈlɪtəɹəsi/ in IPA).

Here is “literacy” used in a sentence: “The charity runs literacy programs for adults who never learned to read.”

The opposite of “literacy” — its antonyms — is illiteracy.

“Literacy” is a noun.

“Literacy” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Literacy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the ability to read and write.

Literacy is the ability to read and write, dealing with words and text. Numeracy is the parallel ability to understand and work with numbers, so the two terms are often paired to describe basic educational skills.

Literacy is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy is the lack of that ability. The prefix "il-" reverses the meaning, so a population's literacy rate and illiteracy rate describe the same group from opposite sides.

These phrases use literacy in its second sense: a basic working knowledge of a subject. "Digital literacy" means competence with computers and the internet, and "financial literacy" means a practical understanding of money and finance.

Literacy is the basic ability to read and write, whereas fluency describes ease and smoothness, usually in speaking or using a language. Someone can be literate in a language without being fluent when speaking it.