literacy
Competence or knowledge in a specified area
Examples
In a meeting
“Financial literacy should be a core component of our employee development program.”
Over coffee
“Digital literacy is so important now—even my grandmother is learning to use apps.”
Why this word
reading
literacy encompasses both reading and writing competence, plus broader comprehension, while reading is one skill
education
literacy specifically refers to fundamental reading and writing abilities, while education is comprehensive learning
knowledge
literacy indicates specific competence in reading/writing or a domain, while knowledge is general information possession
Usage tip
Use with a modifier (financial, digital, data) to describe domain-specific competence. Goes beyond reading/writing to mean functional knowledge.
Etymology
Latin: litteratus (educated, learned) from littera (letter)
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Related words
proficient
Competent and skilled at doing something
literate
Having knowledge or competence in a specified area
pedagogy
The method and practice of teaching
synthesis
The combining of separate elements to form a coherent whole
comprehension
The ability to understand the meaning or importance of something
incubate
Develop ideas or projects gradually through nurturing conditions