1. (

• literature

) creative writing of recognized artistic value ;

2. (

• literature ,
• lit

) the humanistic study of a body of literature; "he took a course in Russian lit" ;

3. (

• literature ,

) 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. (

• literature

) the profession or art of a writer; "her place in literature is secure" ;