These are the “aliterates,” people who know how to read but just don't bother (Newsday).
an aliterate society.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
lit´er|ate|ness — lit|er|ate «LIHT uhr iht», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. able to read and write: »The literate person can find out from books what the person who cannot read must find out for himself or be told. 2. acquainted with literature; educated; literary.… … Useful english dictionary
lit´er|ate|ly — lit|er|ate «LIHT uhr iht», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. able to read and write: »The literate person can find out from books what the person who cannot read must find out for himself or be told. 2. acquainted with literature; educated; literary.… … Useful english dictionary
lit|er|ate — «LIHT uhr iht», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. able to read and write: »The literate person can find out from books what the person who cannot read must find out for himself or be told. 2. acquainted with literature; educated; literary. SYNONYM(S):… … Useful english dictionary
il|lit´er|ate|ly — il|lit|er|ate «ih LIHT uhr iht», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. not knowing how to read and write: »People who have never gone to school are usually illiterate. SYNONYM(S): See syn. under ignorant. (Cf. ↑ignorant) 2. showing a lack of education; not… … Useful english dictionary
il|lit|er|ate — «ih LIHT uhr iht», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. not knowing how to read and write: »People who have never gone to school are usually illiterate. SYNONYM(S): See syn. under ignorant. (Cf. ↑ignorant) 2. showing a lack of education; not cultured: »He… … Useful english dictionary
al|lit|er|ate — «uh LIHT uh rayt», verb, at|ed, at|ing. –v.i. 1. to have the same first sound or the same first letter. 2. to use alliteration. –v.t. to speak or write (anything) with alliteration. ╂[< Latin … Useful english dictionary
non|lit|er|ate — «non LIHT uhr iht», adjective. 1. a) not able to read or write. b) having no alphabet or other form of writing: »nonliterate peoples. 2. having no knowledge of literature: »a nonliterate culture … Useful english dictionary
ob|lit|er|ate — «uh BLIHT uh rayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. 1. to remove all traces of; wipe or blot out; destroy; efface: »The heavy rain obliterated all footprints. Figurative. By the destruction of that city, [they] obliterated the memory of their… … Useful english dictionary
pre|lit|er|ate — «pree LIHT uhr iht», adjective. being at a stage before the use of writing: »a preliterate society or culture … Useful english dictionary
sub|lit|er|ate — «suhb LIHT uhr iht», adjective, noun. –adj. below the accepted standard of literacy; semieducated: »Subliterate, they were not in any sense skilled and therefore could not earn good wages (New Scientist). –n. a subliterate person … Useful english dictionary
