What does literal mean?
Definitions for literal
ˈlɪt ər əllit·er·al
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word literal.
Princeton's WordNet
misprint, erratum, typographical error, typo, literal error, literaladjective
a mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind
actual, genuine, literal, realadjective
being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
"her actual motive"; "a literal solitude like a desert"- G.K.Chesterton; "a genuine dilemma"
literaladjective
without interpretation or embellishment
"a literal depiction of the scene before him"
literaladjective
limited to the explicit meaning of a word or text
"a literal translation"
literaladjective
avoiding embellishment or exaggeration (used for emphasis)
"it's the literal truth"
Wiktionary
literalnoun
A value, as opposed to an identifier, written into the source code of a computer program.
literalnoun
A propositional variable or the negation of a propositional variable.
literaladjective
Exactly as stated; read or understood without additional interpretation; according to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical.
The literal translation is hands full of bananas but it means empty-handed.
literaladjective
Following the letter or exact words; not free; not taking liberties.
A literal reading of the law would prohibit it, but that is clearly not the intent.
literaladjective
Consisting of, or expressed by, letters.
Etymology: From literal, from litteralis, also literalis, from littera, litera; see letter.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
LITERALadjective
Etymology: literal, French; litera, Latin.
Through all the writings of the antient fathers, we see that the words, which were, do continue; the only difference is, that whereas before they had a literal, they now have a metaphorical use, and are as so many notes of remembrance unto us, that what they did signify in the letter, is accomplished in the truth. Richard Hooker, b. iv.
A foundation, being primarily of use in architecture, hath no other literal notation but what belongs to it in relation to an house, or other building, nor figurative, but what is founded in that, and deduced from thence. Henry Hammond.
The fittest for publick audience are such as, following a middle course between the rigour of literal translations and the liberty of paraphrasts, do with greater shortness and plainness deliver the meaning. Richard Hooker, b. v.
Literalnoun
Primitive or literal meaning.
How dangerous it is in sensible things to use metaphorical expressions unto the people, and what absurd conceits they will swallow in their literals, an example we have in our profession. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours, b. iv.
ChatGPT
literal
Literal is used to indicate that words, phrases, or statements are taken or interpreted exactly and directly, without any exaggeration, metaphor, or figure of speech. It refers to the most basic, concrete, or obvious meanings or interpretations of something.
Webster Dictionary
Literaladjective
according to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical; as, the literal meaning of a phrase
Literaladjective
following the letter or exact words; not free
Literaladjective
consisting of, or expressed by, letters
Literaladjective
giving a strict or literal construction; unimaginative; matter-of fast; -- applied to persons
Literalnoun
literal meaning
Etymology: [F. litral, littral, L. litteralis, literalis, fr. littera, litera, a letter. See Letter.]
Wikidata
Literal
In mathematical logic, a literal is an atomic formula or its negation. The definition mostly appears in proof theory, e.g. in conjunctive normal form and the method of resolution. Literals can be divided into two types: ⁕A positive literal is just an atom. ⁕A negative literal is the negation of an atom. For a literal, the complementary literal is a literal corresponding to the negation of, we can write to denote the complementary literal of . More precisely, if then is and if then is . In the context of a formula in the conjunctive normal form, a literal is pure if the literal's complement does not appear in the formula.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Literal
lit′ėr-al, adj. according to the letter: plain: not figurative or metaphorical: following the letter or exact meaning, word for word.—v.t. Lit′eralise.—ns. Lit′eraliser; Lit′eralism, strict adherence to the letter: interpretation that is merely verbal: (art) exact and unimaginative rendering of objects; Lit′eralist; Literal′ity.—adv. Lit′erally.—n. Lit′eralness. [Fr.,—L. literalis—litera, a letter.]
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Anagrams for literal »
tallier
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of literal in Chaldean Numerology is: 1
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of literal in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
Examples of literal in a Sentence
Darkness is clever, insidious, and patient. It wants to win. And it wins by snuffing out the light. It’s so literal that you can’t stand it.
The antisemitic messages contained in the graffiti found along the Greenbelt put a literal and figurative stain on Boise Parks and Recreation workers community. This will not be tolerated, hate speech is reprehensible. It is not who( Boise Parks and Recreation workers) are as a city and is not part of Boise Parks and Recreation workers shared values. I invite all good people of Boise to stand with me, as I stand with Boise Parks and Recreation workers Jewish neighbors, to rebuke this hate.
“The literal record was not a hopelessly and imperfect fraction of truly insensible gradation within large populations but an accurate reflection of the actual process identified by evolutionists as the chief motor of biological change. The theory of punctuated equilibrium was, in its initial formulation, little more than this insight adumbrated.”
If you support a leader because he offers you something, you are the literal murderer of your people, and you can't be a good patriot. Therefore, your people are buried alive.
I’m not anti-gay, I’m not trying to eliminate the LGBTQ book collection, it's literal pornography, that's the problem.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for literal
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- doslovnýCzech
- wörtlich, buchstäblichGerman
- κατά γράμμαGreek
- literalSpanish
- sananmukainen, kirjaimellinen, sanatarkkaFinnish
- littéral, épistolaireFrench
- բառացիArmenian
- bókstaflegurIcelandic
- alla lettera, letteraleItalian
- מילוליתHebrew
- 文字通り, 文字上の, 逐語的Japanese
- 정확한Korean
- literaal, strikt, letterlijk, letterDutch
- literałPolish
- literal, constantePortuguese
- literally, literalăRomanian
- точный, буквенный, буквальный, дословныйRussian
- ordagrann, bokstavligSwedish
- ממשYiddish
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"literal." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 11 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/literal>.
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