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Glite Dictionary
📚 No literary knowledge ✏️ Cannot read or write
nonliteracy

nonliteracy

8.2
A lack of reading and writing skills needed for daily life
  • noun
  • /nɒnˈlɪtərəsi/
: analfabetismo
  • The battle against nonliteracy has focused on teaching everyone to read and write text.

Examples

  • The community program aims to reduce nonliteracy by providing free reading and writing classes to adults.

  • Nonliteracy remains a significant challenge in many areas, preventing individuals from accessing basic information.

  • Efforts to combat nonliteracy include distributing resources that teach essential reading and writing skills.

Synonyms

illiteracy
vsnonliteracy
14 3.9

Not able to read or write

extends to people with low everyday reading and writing skill
analphabetism
vsnonliteracy
  • Specialized
9.9

The state of being unable to read

is broader and covers writing inability plus low everyday reading and writing skill

Antonyms

literacy
63 2.6

The ability to read and write

How Literate

literacy
63 2.6
nonliteracy
8.2

Surface Forms

nonliteracy singular
nonliteracies plural

Morphology

nonliteracy = literacy (transparent) = non + literacy

A straightforward negative formation: 'non-' + 'literacy' = lack of reading/writing ability, directly derivable for learners who know 'literacy'.

Etymology

Nonliteracy starts with non- meaning 'not' and ends with literacy, which means 'reading and writing' and is linked to the simple word letter. So, nonliteracy in this sense means not having the reading and writing skills needed for daily life.