51³Ô¹Ï

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View synonyms for

literal

[lit-er-uhl]

adjective

  1. in accordance with, involving, or being the primary or strict meaning of the word or words; not figurative or metaphorical.

    the literal meaning of a word.

  2. following the words of the original very closely and exactly.

    a literal translation of Goethe.

  3. true to fact; not exaggerated; actual or factual.

    a literal description of conditions.

    Synonyms: , ,
  4. being actually such, without exaggeration or inaccuracy.

    the literal extermination of a city.

  5. (of persons) tending to construe words in the strict sense or in an unimaginative way; matter-of-fact; prosaic.

  6. of or relating to the letters of the alphabet.

  7. of the nature of letters.

  8. expressed by letters.

  9. affecting a letter or letters.

    a literal error.



noun

  1. a typographical error, especially involving a single letter.

literal

/ ˈlɪtərəl, ˌlɪtəˈrælɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. in exact accordance with or limited to the primary or explicit meaning of a word or text

  2. word for word

  3. dull, factual, or prosaic

  4. consisting of, concerning, or indicated by letters

  5. true; actual

  6. maths containing or using coefficients and constants represented by letters: ax² + b is a literal expression Compare numerical

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. Also called: literal error.Ìýa misprint or misspelling in a text

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51³Ô¹Ï Forms

  • literalness noun
  • nonliteral adjective
  • nonliterally adverb
  • nonliteralness noun
  • overliteral adjective
  • unliteral adjective
  • unliterally adverb
  • ˈ±ô¾±³Ù±ð°ù²¹±ô²Ô±ð²õ²õ noun
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of literal1

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin ±ô¾±³Ù³Ù±ð°ùÄå±ô¾±²õ “of letters.†See letter 1, -al 1
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of literal1

C14: from Late Latin ±ô¾±³Ù³Ù±ð°ùÄå±ô¾±²õ concerning letters, from Latin littera letter
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“However, when Steve talked about transhumanism being a blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, I think he means it in a much more literal sense than I would take it myself,†Allen said.

From

This incident with Sen. Padilla was a very literal embodiment of this principle.

From

The idea that AI adoption could unwittingly recast any single piece of punctuation as a literal mark of fraudulence seems like an unbearable irony.

From

Revolts in L.A. don’t always need literal flames — because the ones that burn brightest and longest are moral and philosophical.

From

As head of the Trump-created Department of Government Efficiency, the tech billionaire wielded a literal chainsaw while orchestrating massive federal layoffs to cut costs.

From

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literae humanioresliteralism