1. writers or scholars of belles-lettres; people who write or study literature as fine art
Usage: literary; formal

Examples

• The university’s English department attracted renowned belletrists from around the world.
• These belletrists focused on the aesthetic qualities of literature rather than its commercial appeal.
• The salon was frequented by belletrists who discussed poetry and prose late into the evening.
• Critics argued that modern belletrists had lost touch with popular readership.
• The magazine featured essays by prominent belletrists of the Victorian era.
• Young belletrists often struggle to balance artistic integrity with financial necessity.