Alphabetarian

/ˌælfəbɪˈtɛriən/ noun

Definition

A person who is learning the alphabet or is in the earliest stages of learning to read and write; a beginner in literacy.

Etymology

From 'alphabet' + the suffix '-arian' (meaning a person concerned with or devoted to something). The term evolved in the 16th-17th centuries as formal education became more standardized in Europe.

Kelly Says

In medieval times, being an 'alphabetarian' was actually a huge achievement—most people never made it past this stage, so 'alphabetarian' could mean you were already one of the literate elite before you could even write your own name.

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