Ma'anar ƙamus na "salon adabi" yana nufin wani nau'i ko nau'in wallafe-wallafen da ke da wani salo, tsari, ko abun ciki. Yawancin nau'o'in adabi ana bayyana su ta hanyar tarurrukan tarurruka, jigogi, motifs, da tsari, kuma suna iya haɗa nau'ikan nau'ikan wakoki kamar su waƙoƙi, wasan kwaikwayo, almara, almara, da sauransu. Nau'o'in adabi daban-daban na iya samun nasu ƙayyadaddun ƙa'idodi, tsammaninsu, da masu sauraro, kuma galibi marubuta suna amfani da su don isar da takamaiman saƙo ko bincika wasu jigogi.