What is "literatus"

Literatus \Lit`e*ra"tus\ (l[i^]t`[-e]*r[aum]"t[u^]s; l[i^]t`[-e]*r[=a]"t[u^]s), n.; pl. Literati (l[i^]t`[-e]*r[aum]"t[=e]; l[i^]t`[-e]*r[=a]"t[imac]). [L. litteratus, literatus.] A learned man; a man acquainted with literature; -- chiefly used in the plural.

Now we are to consider that our bright ideal of a literatus may chance to be maimed.
--De Quincey.

n. (context chiefly in the plural English) A learned person; one acquainted with literature.