woman of letters

noun phrase

1
: a woman who is a scholar
2
: a woman who is an author

Examples of woman of letters in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
August Wilhelm entered the employment of the French woman of letters Madame de Staël, and accompanied her on her travels. Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Feb. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of woman of letters was in 1818

Dictionary Entries Near woman of letters

Cite this Entry

“Woman of letters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woman%20of%20letters. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on woman of letters

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!