illiterate Definition
il·lit·er·ate (i lit′ər it)
adjective
- ignorant; uneducated; esp., not knowing how to read or write
- having or showing limited knowledge, experience, or culture, esp. in some particular field musically illiterate
- violating accepted usage in language an illiterate sentence
noun
an illiterate person; esp., a person who does not know how to read or write
illiterate Related Forms
il·lit′·er·ately adverb
illiterate Synonyms
illiterate
modif.
illiterate Usage Examples
Adjective complement with noun phrase
- teach: House rules » Advanced search » BACK Member Cafe 10 replies Self taught computer illiterate would appreciate advice.
- leave: There is no excuse for people leaving school illiterate.
Adjective modifier
- economic: For years, economic illiterates have been claiming that it would, supposedly by improving the ratio of working people to retirees.
- functional: No functional illiterates; no stoners; no trenchcoat mafia.
Modifies a noun
- peasant: The illiterate Bolivian peasants were able to vote for the first time.
- laborer: John Peter Altgeld, the son of a illiterate farm laborer, was born in Hesse, Germany on 30th December, 1847.
- farmer: There are illiterate poppy farmers in the mountains of Afghanistan less reliant on the worldwide heroin trade than the BBC is reliant on Teletubbies.
- adult: The report notes also that there are 877 million illiterate adults, mainly in the poor countries of the world.
- mass: Governments have made use of the Moslem pulpit to broadcast useful information to the illiterate masses.
- population: He explains why Marxism holds such appeal to a widely illiterate population.
Modifying Another Word
- functionally: We have left our people functionally illiterate in using the Bible.
- biblically: Martin's approach doubtless appeals to many who are struggling to preach the gospel to a biblically illiterate culture.
- scientifically: In a scientifically illiterate media there is no room for critical appraisal of evidence.
- musically: In order to learn new pieces, children who are musically illiterate depend on being shown what to do hearing others perform.
- economically: He is economically illiterate - unfortunately the majority of policymakers are.
- statistically: If journalists are statistically illiterate, papers aren't recruiting enough from the sciences.
Noun used with modifier
- computer: Note 49 Is it useful to test systems against hackers the way new software is tested against computer illiterates?
- adult: Some years ago, although not a professional teacher, my wife used to help in classes run by the LCC for adult illiterates.
Used with adjective complement
Browse dictionary entries near illiterate
- ‹ illiteracy
- ‹ illite
- ‹ illiquid
- ‹ Illinoisan
- ‹ Illinois
- ‹ illinium
- ‹ illimitable
- ‹ Illimani
- ‹ illicit
- ‹ Illich, Ivan
- illness ›
- illocutionary ›
- illogic ›
- illogical ›
- illume ›
- illuminance ›
- illuminant ›
- illuminate ›
- illuminated ›
- illuminati ›

