textual

adjective

tex·​tu·​al ˈteks-chə-wəl 

-chəl

: of, relating to, or based on a text

textuality

ˌteks-chə-ˈwa-lə-tē 

noun

textually adverb

Did you know?

Before the invention of the printing press, books were produced by hand. When the text of a book is copied this way, textual errors can creep in, and a text that's been copied again and again can contain many such errors. By comparing different copies of a work, textual critics try to figure out where the copyists went wrong and restore the text to its original form so that modern readers can again enjoy the correct versions of ancient texts. When a class performs textual analysis of a poem, however, they are looking closely at its individual words and phrases in an effort to determine the poem's meanings.

Examples of textual in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His commentary became an important part of the textual tradition, and his annotations are included in many modern editions of the work. — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026

Zeller frames this film as a love story, and is eager — if maybe not quite eager enough — to mine a meta-textual thrill from the casting of such a famous real-life couple to play house for him. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026

Today such grafts, whether visual or textual, would be called citations; at the time, a text made of excerpts was called a cento, which originally meant a patchwork rag. — Mario Carpo, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Is all of mathematical knowledge out there in some kind of textual or video format? — Quanta Magazine, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English textuel, from Medieval Latin textus text

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing textual

• textual critic
• textual criticism

Kids Definition

textual

adjective

tex·​tu·​al ˈteks-chə(-wə)l 

: of, relating to, or based on a text

textuality

ˌteks-chə-ˈwal-ət-ē

noun

textually

ˈtek-chə-(wə)l-ē

adverb