Meanings
comparative more writerly · superlative most writerly
- Characteristic of a writer; using well-chosen words or well-crafted sentences.
The article was writerly and professional.
1 more example
Digital upstarts like Buzzfeed and The Verge are relying on “long-form” editors to create big features. Heralding “a coming renaissance of long-form journalism,” the twitchy news site Politico hired away the editor in chief of Foreign Policy magazine last summer to commission writerly, deeply reported stories.
2013 December 12, James Bennet, “Against 'Long-Form Journalism'”, in James Bennet, editor, The Atlantic, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 20 Mar 2014, retrieved 23 Jul 2026 - of or pertaining to a writer
the long road to writerly recognition is riddled with disappointment.
2020 October 13, Beatrice Loayza, “Jack London gets an Italian makeover in the tragic and romantic Martin Eden”, in AV Club
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*wrītaną
- Proto-West Germanic*wrītan
- Old Englishwrītan
- Old Englishwrītere
- Middle Englishwriter
- Englishwriter
- Englishwriterly
Translations
Hungarian írói
- íróiof or pertaining to a writer
Portuguese autoral, autoral
- autoralcharacteristic of a writer
- autoralof or pertaining to a writer
Cite this entry
writerly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/writerly
“writerly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/writerly. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “writerly,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/writerly.
Source: writerly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.