belles-lettres

belles-let·tres

B0174100 (bĕl-lĕt′rə)pl.n. (used with a sing. verb)1. Literature regarded for its aesthetic value rather than its didactic or informative content.2. Light, stylish writings, usually on literary or intellectual subjects.

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[French : belles, fine + lettres, letters, literature.]

belles-lettres

(French bɛllɛtrə) n (Literary & Literary Critical Movements) (functioning as singular) literary works, esp essays and poetry, valued for their aesthetic rather than their informative or moral content[C17: from French: fine letters]

belles-let•tres

(Fr. bɛlˈlɛ tr^ə)

n. (used with a sing. v.) literature that is polished and elegant and often inconsequential in subject or scope. [1700–10;< French: literally, fine letters. See belle, letter] bel•let′rist (-trɪst) n. bel`let•ris′tic (-lɪˈtrɪs tɪk) adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

belles-lettres - creative writing valued for esthetic contentbelles lettresliterary composition, literary work - imaginative or creative writing

Translations