ˈlid.əˌrerē, ˈlitəˌr-, -ri adjective
Etymology: in sense 1, from Latin littera, litera letter + English -ary; in other senses, from French littéraire, from Latin litterarius, literarius of writing, from litterae, literae writing + -arius -ary — more at letter
1. archaic : literal I 2a
2.
a. : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of humane learning
the educational system should provide a literary as well as a rational education — G.K.Chalmers
literary institution
b. : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of literature
renouncing the dogma that Latin was the literary language of Italy, began to write in Tuscan — G.C.Sellery
described his types in the grand literary manner, with great subtlety and penetration — William Stephenson
a literary magazine may deal with … anything at all, so long as each article is a piece of literature — R.G.Howarth
c. : bookish 2
this work is too wordy, and the dialogue has a muffled literary flavor — T.G.Bergin
d. : of or relating to books
literary agent
literary manuscripts
3.
a. : having a firsthand knowledge of literature : well-read
he is literary , given to quoting to himself rather long stretches of remembered lines — F.J.Hoffman
b. : of, relating to, or concerned with men of letters or with writing as a profession
a new star in the literary firmament — Yankee
for her admirable series of literary biographies she has chosen … nineteenth-century poets — Harrison Smith
was rather literary in college — Scott Fitzgerald
4. of a painting or sculpture : characterized by a primary interest in depicting an event, story, or allegory : anecdotal