Etymology of the English word literate
the English word
literatederived from the Latin word
litteratus (learned, cultured, erudite; marked, branded, tattooed w)
derived from the Humanistic Latin word
littera (letter; letter, epistle)
derived from the Etruscan word
litteraderived from the Greek word
diphthera, διφθέρα, διϕϑέρα (skin, leather, hide)
Date
The earliest known usage of literate in English dates from the 15th century.
Derivations in English
literacy,
nonliterate,
preliterate,
semiliterate,
subliterate,
aliterateUsage
Word found in Modern English
