belles-lettres

== English == === Alternative forms === belles lettres, belles-letters, belle-lettre === Etymology === Borrowed from French belles-lettres (“fine writings”), a parallel construction with the beaux arts (“fine arts”). Littré considered the belles-lettres to embrace grammar, rhetoric, and poetry. Sense embracing all of the humanities under the influence of Latin literae humaniores. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˌbɛlˈlɛtɹ(ə)/ === Noun === belles-lettres (uncountable) (obsolete) The humanities. (archaic) Literature, particularly light compositions valued for their aesthetic properties. Synonym: polite literature (archaic) Literary studies, particularly literary aesthetics. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === References === "belles-lettres, n.", in the Oxford English Dictionary, 1887. == French == === Etymology === Literally, “fine writings”. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bɛl.lɛtʁ/ === Noun === belles-lettres f pl (plural only) belles-lettres (light literary compositions valued for their aesthetic properties) === References === “belles-lettres”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012