# literacy

Pronunciation: US/UK say "LIT-uh-ruh-see" /ˈlɪtəɹəsi/; AUS say "LIT-ruh-see" /ˈlɪtɹəsi/

## Noun

1. The ability to read written language and to write it.
   - Simple: The ability to read words and to write them down.
   - _The country invested heavily in literacy after years of low school attendance._
   - _Adult literacy classes help people who never learned to read as children._
2. The ability to understand a particular subject and to evaluate it.
   - Simple: The ability to understand a subject well and judge whether it is true or good.
   - _Strong scientific literacy lets readers judge health claims for themselves._
   - _Schools are adding financial literacy to help teenagers manage their money._

## Origin

Formed from "literate" combined with the suffix "-cy".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/literacy (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).