Republic of Letters

proper noun

The intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas, exchanging ideas by circulating handwritten letters.

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Meanings

proper nounthe Republic of Letters
  1. historicalThe intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas, exchanging ideas by circulating handwritten letters.

Origin

The first known occurrence of the term in its Latin form (Respublica literaria) is in a letter by Francesco Barbaro to Poggio Bracciolini dated July 6, 1417.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bengali চিঠির জমহুরিয়াত
  • চিঠির জমহুরিয়াত (ciṭhir jomhuriẏat)the intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
Chinese Mandarin 文人共和國 /文人共和国, 文壇共和國 /文坛共和国
  • 文人共和國 /文人共和国 (Wénrén Gònghéguó)the intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
  • 文壇共和國 /文坛共和国 (Wéntán Gònghéguó)the intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
Finnish kirjeiden tasavalta
  • kirjeiden tasavaltathe intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
French République des Lettres
  • République des Lettresthe intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
Japanese 文芸共和国
  • 文芸共和国 (bungeikyōwakoku)the intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
Korean 문예공화국, 편지 공화국
  • 문예공화국 (munyegonghwaguk)the intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
  • 편지 공화국 (pyeonji gonghwaguk)the intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
Polish Rzeczpospolita uczonych, Republika listów
  • Rzeczpospolita uczonychthe intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
  • Republika listówthe intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
Spanish República de las Letras
  • República de las Letrasthe intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas
Cite this entry
APA

Republic of Letters. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Republic%20of%20Letters

MLA

“Republic of Letters.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Republic%20of%20Letters. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Republic of Letters,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Republic%20of%20Letters.

Source: Republic of Letters on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.