literal

1 of 2

adjective

lit·​er·​al ˈli-t(ə-)rəl 

1

a

: according with the letter of the scriptures

adheres to a literal reading of the passage

b

: adhering to fact or to the ordinary construction or primary meaning of a term or expression : actual

liberty in the literal sense is impossible

—B. N. Cardozo

c

: free from exaggeration or embellishment

the literal truth

d

: characterized by a concern mainly with facts

a very literal man

2

: of, relating to, or expressed in letters

The distress signal SOS has no literal meaning.

3

: reproduced word for word : exact, verbatim

a literal translation

literality

ˌli-tə-ˈra-lə-tē 

noun

literalness

ˈli-t(ə-)rəl-nəs 

noun

literal

2 of 2

noun

: a small error usually of a single letter (as in writing)

Synonyms

Adjective

• documentary
• factual
• hard
• historical
• matter-of-fact
• nonfictional
• objective
• true

Examples of literal in a Sentence

Adjective

I was using the word in its literal sense.

The literal meaning of “know your ropes” is “to know a lot about ropes,” while figuratively it means “to know a lot about how to do something.”

a literal translation of a book

The story he told was basically true, even if it wasn't the literal truth.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The line, which came with the judge sentencing the comedian and writer to a year in jail, was meant to be read as both literal and meta. —Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024

While the phrase is the literal definition of a successful marketing term, romantasy books are easy to describe. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2024

On the same day Taylor's reputation tour kicked off in Phoenix, Perry extended a literal olive branch to the singer, who, perhaps, wasn't (ahem) ready for it. —Ruth Kinane, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024

But how did something so pedestrian — in the most literal of senses ... —Josh Robbins, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024

Platformer Gris turns the stages of grief into literal ones as its heroine silently navigates a world that uses color and music to express emotion. —Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024

In the camps, the sport was a literal pastime — and a way of performing Americanness for a government that had aimed suspicion at a group determined to prove its loyalty. —Jill Cowan, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024

For this recipe, save yourself (literal) tears by grating the onion in a food processor with the shredding attachment. —Julia Levy, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2024

Richard Simmons is looking back at some of his favorite (literal) Hollywood run-ins. —EW.com, 26 Mar. 2024

Noun

The purpose of their dazzling acts vary: sometimes immersing us in Jacob’s circus experience, and other times blending into dream sequences that abandon the literal to focus entirely on emotion. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2024

Again, his musical selections don’t shy from the literal. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 May 2023

David was contending with two friendship deaths—one literal, the other metaphorical. —Jennifer Senior, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2022

Tony’s asphyxiation of Christopher makes the metaphorical literal. —Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin litteralis, from Latin, of a letter, from littera letter

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1622, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing literal

• literal-minded

Video

Literally

A word that (literally) drives people nuts

Kids Definition

literal

adjective

lit·​er·​al

ˈlit-ə-rəl,

ˈli-trəl

1

a

: following the ordinary or usual meaning of the words

literal and figurative meanings

b

: true to fact : plain, unadorned

took the television drama to be the literal truth

c

: concerned mainly with facts

a literal-minded person

2

: of, relating to, or expressed in letters

literal equations

3

: done word for word : exact, verbatim

a literal translation

literalness noun