HOW TO PRONOUNCE
belles-lettres
/ˌbɛlˈlɛtɹ(ə)/
IPA accent not specified by source
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What does belles-lettres mean?
noun
- (obsolete) The humanities.
More meanings (2)
noun
- (archaic) Literature, particularly light compositions valued for their aesthetic properties.
- (archaic) Literary studies, particularly literary aesthetics.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˌbɛlˈlɛtɹ(ə)/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
Belles-lettres deals considerably with this question, for it can itself determine the popular attitude to the unmarried state.
“Oh, he does not mean it seriously with painting. His walk must be belles-lettres. That is wi-ide.”
More book examples (2)
A great deal of chronicle writing that makes no pretense at being belles-lettres is really superior literature to much that is so classified.
So are made the belles-lettres and the beaux-arts and their professors.