semiliteracy

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noun

The state of not being fully literate, or having an imperfect grasp of the written language.

“Despite his high-school education, he is still stuck in semiliteracy.”

Similar
subliteracy
OriginEnglish literacy ← Latin sēmi- ← Proto-Indo-European *sēmi →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nounsemiliteracy (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe state of not being fully literate, or having an imperfect grasp of the written language.

    Despite his high-school education, he is still stuck in semiliteracy.

    Synonyms: subliteracy

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe state of not being fully literate, or having an imperfect grasp of the written language.

Similar
subliteracy
Also see
subliteracy

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*sem-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*sēmi
  3. Latinsēmi-
  4. Englishsemi-
  5. Englishliteracy
  6. Englishsemiliteracy

From semi- + literacy.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

semiliteracy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semiliteracy

MLA

“semiliteracy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semiliteracy. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “semiliteracy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semiliteracy.

Source: semiliteracy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.