subliterate

S1U1B3L1I1T1E1R1A1T1E1
/sʌbˈlɪtəɹət/

adjective

Having inferior literacy skills.

Similar
semiliterateunderlanguaged
OriginEnglish literate ← Latin sub- ← Proto-Italic *supo →
Scrabble 13
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

adjectivesubliterate (comparative more subliterate, superlative most subliterate)

comparative more subliterate · superlative most subliterate

  1. Having inferior literacy skills.

    Synonyms: semiliterate, underlanguaged

nounsubliterate (plural subliterates)

plural subliterates

  1. A subliterate person.

    Synonyms: semiliterate

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveHaving inferior literacy skills.

Similar
semiliterateunderlanguaged

nounA subliterate person.

Similar
semiliterate
Also see
semiliterateunderlanguaged

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  2. Proto-Italic*supo
  3. Latinsub
  4. Latinsub-
  5. Englishsub-
  6. Englishliterate
  7. Englishsubliterate

From sub- + literate.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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