[lit.er.ate] adj [ME literat, fr. L litteratus marked with letters, literate, fr. litterae letters, literature, fr. pl. of littera] (15c) 1 a: educated, cultured b: able to read and write
2. a: versed in literature or creative writing: literary b: lucid, polished "a ~ essay" c: having knowledge or competence "computer-literate" "politically ~" -- lit.er.ate.ly adv -- lit.er.ate.ness n
[2]literate n (ca. 1550) 1: an educated person
2: a person who can read and write