When used specifically, it refers to the inability to read or write. In a more general sense, illiterate may signify a lack of familiarity with some body of knowledge (as in being "musically illiterate") or indicate …

ILLITERATE definition: 1. unable to read and write: 2. knowing little or nothing about a particular subject: 3. someone…. Learn more.

ILLITERATE definition: unable to read and write. See examples of illiterate used in a sentence.

Someone who is illiterate does not know how to read or write. A large percentage of the population is illiterate.

Definition of illiterate adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Oct 30, 2025 · illiterate (plural illiterates) An illiterate person, one either not able to read and write or not knowing how. quotations

Factsheet What does the word illiterate mean? There are four meanings listed in OED's entry for the word illiterate. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.