literal en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (UK) audio
- /ˈlɪt(ə)ɹəl/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂leyH-der. Old Latin leitera Latin līterader.? Proto-Hellenic *dipʰtʰérā? Ancient Greek διφθέρᾱ (diphthérā)bor. Etruscan [Term?]bor.? Latin littera Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Late Latin litterālisbor. Old French literalbor. Middle English literal English literal 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.
Meanings
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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.
The literal translation of Spanish irse al otro barrio is "to go to the other neighbourhood" but it means "to die".
a middle course between the rigour of literal translations and the liberty of paraphrasts
[1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):A literal reading of the law would prohibit it, but that is clearly not the intent.
Within the constraints set by the original texts and by the mandates of the Division, the Committee has followed the maxim, 'As literal as possible, as free as necessary.' As a consequence, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) remains essentially a literal translation.
1989, “Preface to the New Revised Standard Version”, in Bible Research:
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Actual, real, physical.
Mechanically, operating this hybrid vehicle is sort of a cross between driving a car and taming an animal, which means the movie treats the audience to the sight of a man (pretending to be a teenager) driving a literal monster truck in a field next to a woman (also pretending to be a teenager) riding a horse.
2017 January 12, Jesse Hassenger, “A literal monster truck is far from the stupidest thing about Monster Trucks”, in The Onion AV Club:
- (broadly, qualifier:hermeneutics) That which generally assumes that the plainest reading of a given text is correct but which allows for metaphor where context indicates it.
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(qualifier:hermeneutics, specifically) Following the historical-grammatical method of biblical interpretation.
It is most important to distinguish literalistic from literal interpretation. [...] ‘Literalistic’ interpretation is like word-for-word translation that yields the verbally exact or ‘formally equivalent’ versions but also runs the risk of overlooking the main (illocutionary) point. Literal interpretation, on the other hand, is more like a translation that strives for dynamic equivalence and yields the literary sense.
1998, Kevin Vanhoozer, “6. Redeeming the Text: The Rationality of Literary Acts”, in Is There a Meaning in This Text?, page 311:
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(uncommon) Consisting of, or expressed by, letters (of an alphabet); using literation.
a literal equation
- (of a person) Unimaginative; matter-of-fact; literal-minded.
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(proscribed) Used nonliterally as an intensifier. See literally for usage notes.
Telemarketers are the literal worst.
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(alt-of, misspelling) Misspelling of littoral.
alt of littoral
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more literal | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| litteral | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| most literal | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| lit. | Abbr=Yes | alternative | lexicographic |
Antonyms
illiteral (antonym(s) of “exactly as stated”) · metaphorical (antonym(s) of “exactly as stated”) · free (antonym(s) of “exactly as stated”) · nonliteral (antonym(s) of “exactly as stated”) · figurative (antonym(s) of “exactly as stated”)
Deriveds
biliteral · literally · quadriliteral · literality · literalist · unliteral · literal rule · literal theonymy · literalism · literal equation · hexaliteral · monoliteral · antiliteral · quinqueliteral · uniliteral · triliteral · multiliteral · literalize · literal-minded · duoliteral · pluriliteral · literalization · literalistic · literalise · illiteral · literalness · transliteral · hyperliteralism
Hyponyms
Relateds
literature · literary · letter · literacy · literate
Synonyms
Translations (86)
ja 文字通り (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · vi nghĩa đen (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · fr littéral (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · az hərfi (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · it letterale (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · fi kirjaimellinen (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · el κατά γράμμα (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · nb ordrett (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · nn ordrett (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · gl literal (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ru буква́льный (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · pt literal (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · gl literal (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · eo laŭvorta (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · id harfiah (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · de wörtlich (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · hu szóról szóra történő (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · bg буквен (consisting of, or expressed by, letters) · eo laŭvorta (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · ja 逐語的な (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · it alla lettera (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · ru досло́вный (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · hu betű szerinti (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · id literal (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · mi pūrite (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · ru буква́льный (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · fa تحتاللفظی (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · de buchstäblich (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · es literal (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · it alla lettera (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · nl strikt (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ru бу́квенный (consisting of, or expressed by, letters) · cy llythrennol (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ar لَفْظِيّ (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · fi sanatarkka (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ru то́чный (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ar حَرْفِيّ (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · ro literală (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · hu szó szerinti (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ang stæflīċ (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · fi sananmukainen (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · hy բառացի (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · sh doslovan (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · cmn 字面 (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · cs doslovný (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · mk буквален (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · is bókstaflegur (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · cs doslovný (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · nl letterlijk (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · sh bukvalan (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · ro literală (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · da bogstavelig (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · he מילולי (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · pl literalny (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · sv ordagrann (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · an literal (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · ga beacht (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · fi kirjaimellinen (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ro literală (consisting of, or expressed by, letters) · pl dosłowny (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · fo bókstavligur (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · ang stæflīċ (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · nl letter- (consisting of, or expressed by, letters) · pt literal (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · hu szó szerinti (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · it letterale (consisting of, or expressed by, letters) · cmn 逐字逐句 (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · cy llythrennol (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · ast lliteral (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · fi sananmukainen (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · bg дословен (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ca literal (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · cy llythrennol (consisting of, or expressed by, letters) · bg буквален (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · de buchstäblich (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ang stæflīċ (consisting of, or expressed by, letters) · fr épistolaire (consisting of, or expressed by, letters) · pl dosłowny (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · it letterale (following the letter or exact words, not taking liberties) · ja 文字上の (consisting of, or expressed by, letters) · hy բառացի (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · sk doslovný (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · nl letterlijk (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · ru досло́вный (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · sv bokstavlig (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation) · fr littéral (exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation)