literal

== English == === Alternative forms === lit. (abbreviation) litteral (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English literal, from Old French literal, from Late Latin litteralis or literalis (“of or pertaining to letters or to writing”), from Latin littera or litera (“a letter”). See letter. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈlɪt(ə)ɹəl/ Homophone: littoral === Adjective === literal (comparative more literal, superlative most literal) Exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation; according to the letter; not figurative or metaphorical; following the letter or exact words; not taking liberties; etymonic rather than idiomatic. Synonyms: verbatim, word-for-word Actual, real, physical. (hermeneutics) (loosely) That which generally assumes that the plainest reading of a given text is correct but which allows for metaphor where context indicates it. (theology, specifically) Following the historical-grammatical method of biblical interpretation. (uncommon) Consisting of, or expressed by, letters (of an alphabet); using literation. (of a person) Unimaginative; matter-of-fact; literal-minded. (proscribed) Used nonliterally as an intensifier. See literally for usage notes. Misspelling of littoral. ==== Antonyms ==== (antonym(s) of “exactly as stated”): figurative, free, metaphorical, nonliteral, illiteral ==== Hyponyms ==== hyperliteral, overliteral ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== letter literacy literary literate literature ==== Translations ==== === Noun === literal (plural literals) (epigraphy, typography) A misprint (or occasionally a scribal error) that affects a letter. Synonym: typo (logic) An atomic formula (consisting of a propositional variable) or its negation. (programming) A value, as opposed to an identifier, written into the source code of a computer program. Synonym: literal constant Misspelling of littoral. ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== constant prime formula === References === === Further reading === “literal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “literal”, in The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. === Anagrams === tallier == Aragonese == === Etymology === Borrowed from Late Latin litterālis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /liteˈɾal/ Syllabification: li‧te‧ral Rhymes: -al === Adjective === literal (plural literals) literal ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “literal”, in Aragonario, diccionario castellano–aragonés (in Spanish) 2024 October, Diccionario aragonés-castellano-catalán: Estudio de Filología Aragonesa (version 14) (in Aragonese), page 721 == Catalan == === Etymology === Borrowed from Late Latin litterālis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [li.təˈɾal] IPA(key): (Valencia, Northwestern) [li.teˈɾal] === Adjective === literal m or f (masculine and feminine plural literals) literal ==== Derived terms ==== literalment ==== Related terms ==== lletra === Further reading === “literal”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 == Galician == === Etymology === Borrowed from Late Latin litterālis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /litɛˈɾal/ [li.t̪ɛˈɾɑɫ] Rhymes: -al Hyphenation: li‧te‧ral === Adjective === literal m or f (plural literais) literal ==== Derived terms ==== literalmente ==== Related terms ==== letra === Further reading === “literal”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026 literal, in Dicionario de pronuncia da lingua galega (in Galician), Instituto da Lingua Galega, 2025 == German == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˌlɪtəˈʁaːl/ Rhymes: -aːl === Adjective === literal (strong nominative masculine singular literaler, comparative literaler, superlative am literalsten) literate (of cultures, etc., not of individuals) ==== Declension ==== === See also === schreibkundig == Indonesian == === Etymology === From English literal, from Old French literal, from Late Latin litteralis, also literalis (“of or pertaining to letters or to writing”), from Latin littera, litera (“a letter”). Largely displaced Dutch-borrowed leterlek. === Pronunciation === (Standard Indonesian) IPA(key): /litəˈral/ [li.t̪əˈral] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: li‧te‧ral === Adjective === litêral (comparative lebih literal, superlative paling literal) synonym of harfiah === Further reading === “literal”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016 == Old French == === Etymology === Borrowed from Late Latin litterālis. === Adjective === literal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular literale) literal (exactly as stated) literal (relating to or composed of letters) ==== Descendants ==== English: literal French: littéral == Portuguese == === Alternative forms === litteral, leteral (pre-standardization spelling) === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Late Latin litterālis. === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -al, -aw Hyphenation: li‧te‧ral === Adjective === literal m or f (plural literais) literal (understood exactly as written, without interpretation) ==== Derived terms ==== === Noun === literal m (plural literais) (logic) literal (atomic formula) (programming) literal (value written in the source code) === Interjection === literal (Internet slang) used to express emphatic agreement: literally; “it’s just like you say!” Synonym: real === Related terms === === Further reading === “literal”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “literal”, in Dicionário Eletrônico Houaiss [Houaiss Electronic Dictionary] (in Portuguese), São Paulo: UOL, 2004–2026 “literal”, in Dicionário infopédia da Lingua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026 “literal”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN “literal”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French littéral, from Latin litteralis. By surface analysis, literă +‎ -al. === Adjective === literal m or n (feminine singular literală, masculine plural literali, feminine/neuter plural literale) literal ==== Declension ==== == Spanish == === Etymology === Borrowed from Late Latin litterālis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /liteˈɾal/ [li.t̪eˈɾal] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: li‧te‧ral === Adjective === literal m or f (masculine and feminine plural literales) literal ==== Derived terms ==== === Adverb === literal (colloquial, intensifier) literally, really, truly Synonym: lit === Related terms === === Further reading === “literal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 @RAEinforma (6 May 2020), Twitter‎[5] (in Spanish), archived from the original on 18 July 2024: == Tagalog == === Etymology === Borrowed from Spanish literal. === Pronunciation === (Standard Tagalog) IPA(key): /liteˈɾal/ [lɪ.t̪ɛˈɾal] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: li‧te‧ral === Adjective === literál (Baybayin spelling ᜎᜒᜆᜒᜇᜎ᜔) literal (exactly as stated) Synonym: letra-por-letra ==== Derived terms ==== literalin ==== Related terms ==== literaryo literatura