early 15c., "uneducated, unable to read (originally of Latin)," from Latin illiteratus "unlearned, unlettered, ignorant; without culture, inelegant," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + literatus, literally "furnished with letters" (see literate). Rendered in Old English as unstæfwis. As a noun meaning "illiterate person" from 1620s. Hence, illiterati (1788).
实用例句
1. A small but significant number of 11-year-olds are illiterate.
数量不多但仍有相当一部分11岁孩子是文盲。
来自柯林斯例句
2. There 50 percent or more of the population is illiterate.
那里50%或更多的群众是文盲.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. There are still many illiterate people in our country.
在我国还有许多文盲.
来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
4. An illiterate, later he received some schooling.
他原先大字不识一个, 后来接受一些学校教育.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. I was an illiterate in the old society, but now I can read.