literature
    n 1: creative writing of recognized artistic value
    2: the humanistic study of a body of literature; "he took a
       course in Russian lit" [syn: literature, lit]
    3: published writings in a particular style on a particular
       subject; "the technical literature"; "one aspect of Waterloo
       has not yet been treated in the literature"
    4: the profession or art of a writer; "her place in literature
       is secure"

Literature \Lit"er*a*ture\ (l[i^]t"[~e]r*[.a]*t[-u]r; 135), n.
   [F. litt['e]rature, L. litteratura, literatura, learning,
   grammar, writing, fr. littera, litera, letter. See Letter.]
   1. Learning; acquaintance with letters or books.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The collective body of literary productions, embracing the
      entire results of knowledge and fancy preserved in
      writing; also, the whole body of literary productions or
      writings upon a given subject, or in reference to a
      particular science or branch of knowledge, or of a given
      country or period; as, the literature of Biblical
      criticism; the literature of chemistry.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. The class of writings distinguished for beauty of style or
      expression, as poetry, essays, or history, in distinction
      from scientific treatises and works which contain positive
      knowledge; belles-lettres.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. The occupation, profession, or business of doing literary
      work. --Lamb.

   Syn: Science; learning; erudition; belles-lettres.

   Usage: See Science. -- Literature, Learning,
          Erudition. Literature, in its widest sense, embraces
          all compositions in writing or print which preserve
          the results of observation, thought, or fancy; but
          those upon the positive sciences (mathematics, etc.)
          are usually excluded. It is often confined, however,
          to belles-lettres, or works of taste and sentiment, as
          poetry, eloquence, history, etc., excluding abstract
          discussions and mere erudition. A man of literature
          (in this narrowest sense) is one who is versed in
          belles-lettres; a man of learning excels in what is
          taught in the schools, and has a wide extent of
          knowledge, especially, in respect to the past; a man
          of erudition is one who is skilled in the more
          recondite branches of learned inquiry.
          [1913 Webster]

                The origin of all positive science and
                philosophy, as well as of all literature and
                art, in the forms in which they exist in
                civilized Europe, must be traced to the Greeks.
                                                  --Sir G. C.
                                                  Lewis.
          [1913 Webster]

                Learning thy talent is, but mine is sense.
                                                  --Prior.
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                Some gentlemen, abounding in their university
                erudition, fill their sermons with philosophical
                terms.                            --Swift.
          [1913 Webster]

literature

   The literature.  Computer-science journals and other
   publications, vaguely gestured at to answer a question that
   the speaker believes is trivial.  Thus, one might answer an
   annoying question by saying "It's in the literature."  Oppose
   Knuth, which has no connotation of triviality.

   (1994-11-04)