literarios

Literarios is the masculine plural form of the Spanish adjective literario. It denotes relation to literature and occurs in phrases such as géneros literarios, textos literarios, estilo literario, and crítica literaria. The feminine forms are literaria and literarias, which agree with the noun they modify. Although literarios can function as an adjective, using it as a noun is rare and usually found in historical or formal contexts to refer to people tied to literature.

Etymology: from Latin litterarius, meaning belonging to letters or literature; from littera, "letter." Over time, the term broadened to describe not only written works but also activities, styles, and critical approaches connected to literature.

Usage: In literary studies, géneros literarios name categories such as épico, lírico, and dramático; textos literarios are works intended for artistic or literary purposes rather than strictly informational content. Periodismo literario describes journalism that adopts narrative techniques, scene setting, and character voice; in criticism, arte literario and literatura function as umbrella terms for the field.

Noun use: In some registers, los literarios can refer to writers or men of letters, though the more common terms today are literatos or hombres de letras. The plural form tends to appear in older or stylized prose and in discussions about literary culture.

See also: literatura; género literario; estilo literario.