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Meaning of belles-lettres | Babel Free

Noun CEFR C2
ˌbɛlˈlɛtɹ(ə)

Definitions

  1. The humanities.
    obsolete, uncountable
  2. Literature, particularly light compositions valued for their aesthetic properties.
    archaic, uncountable
  3. Literary studies, particularly literary aesthetics.
    archaic, uncountable

Equivalents

العربية أدب
Bosanski beletristika белетристика
Čeština beletrie
Deutsch Belles Lettres Belletristik schöne Literatur
Esperanto beletristiko beletro
Español bellas letras buenas letras
Suomi kaunokirjallisuus
Français belles-lettres
Hrvatski beletristika белетристика
Magyar szépirodalom
日本語 純文学
ქართული ბელეტრისტიკა
한국어 순문학
Nederlands bellettrie
Polski beletrystyka literatura piękna
Português belas-letras
Română beletristică
Русский беллетристика художественная литература
Српски beletristika белетристика
Svenska skönlitteratur
Tiếng Việt văn chương

Examples

“That vapid, half naturalized term ‘belles-lettres,’ which has had some currency as a substitute for the term ‘literature.’”

CEFR level

C2
Mastery
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.
See all C2 English words →

See also

belleter belletrism belletrist belletristic Belleville Belleville spring

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