subliterary

1 9.9

Does not try to be artistic and often looks like a casual letter

adjective
/ˌsʌb.lɪˈtɛr.i/

Literature

: subliterario

Despite its popularity, the humorous blog was often dismissed as subliterary by critics.

Examples

Some people argue that subliterary texts like comic books can still convey profound messages.
Popular romance writers explore the vagaries of romance, the meaning of love, and the intricacies of personal relationships, yet the genre is frequently considered to be subliterary.

Academic text (2013)
Many readers enjoy subliterary works, such as genre fiction and self-help books, for their entertainment value.

Synonyms

nonliterary

vssubliterary

1 5.4

Writing that is plain and based on facts and uses simple words

is about lacking recognized artistic writing quality rather than being unrelated

unliterary

vssubliterary

1 7.2

Plain, direct writing that is not showy

is focused on lacking recognized artistic writing quality rather than mere plainness

Antonyms

literary

Literature

2 6.5

Appropriate for formal writing rather than everyday speech

How Literary

literary

Literature

2 6.5

artistic

240 3.5

subliterary

Literature

1 9.9

Surface Forms

subliterary positive

Morphology

subliterary = literary (transparent) = sub + literary

Formation is a straightforward prefixation: 'sub-' (meaning 'under/less than') added to 'literary', yielding 'below-standard' literary quality.

Etymology

Subliterary comes from sub- meaning 'under' or 'below' and literary from literature, meaning 'writing' or 'books'. So a subliterary work is 'below' true literature — it is seen as less a literary work and more ordinary writing.