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belles-lettres |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.17 sec. |
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belles-lettres (bĕl-lĕ`trə) [from the French for literature, literally "fine letters"], literature that is appreciated for the beauty, artistry, and originality of its style and tone rather than for its ideas and informational content. Earlier the term was synonymous with literature, referring particularly to fiction, poetry, drama, criticism, and essays. However, belletristic literature has come to mean light, artificial writing and essays extolling the beauties of literature. belles-lettres literary works, esp essays and poetry, valued for their aesthetic rather than their informative or moral content How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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| ? Mentioned in | ? References in classic literature | ||
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| A competent knowledge of history and of the belles-lettres is here absolutely necessary; and without this share of knowledge at least, to affect the character of an historian, is as vain as to endeavour at building a house without timber or mortar, or brick or stone. So are made the belles-lettres and the beaux-arts and their professors. |
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