That which is in a written state or form; something expressed or recorded in text; written information, composition, or production; literary work…

As a mass noun: written composition, writings; (also) the activity or occupation of writing. by scripture: in writing; by means of writing. Obsolete.

A piece of writing; a written document, record, or composition. In plural: writings; written works. Also figurative. Obsolete.

plural. Writings. Obsolete.

transferred and figurative in non-physical senses. Literary or artistic matter; compositions, productions. Now rare except with disparaging…

In extended use. the republic of letters: authors collectively; the field of literature.

Elegant or polite literature or literary studies. A vaguely-used term, formerly taken sometimes in the wide sense of ‘the humanities,’ literæ human…

The result or product of literary activity; written works considered collectively; a body of literary works produced in a particular country or…

allusively. the Muses: the liberal arts; polite literature, belles-lettres.

= literature, n. Cf. Eng. Lit., n.

In plural. Originally: the reading and study of written texts; knowledge or learning acquired through this; scholarship. Later: the academic or…