literal
Americanadjective
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in accordance with, involving, or being the primary or strict meaning of the word or words; not figurative or metaphorical.
the literal meaning of a word.
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following the words of the original very closely and exactly.
a literal translation of Goethe.
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true to fact; not exaggerated; actual or factual.
a literal description of conditions.
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being actually such, without exaggeration or inaccuracy.
the literal extermination of a city.
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(of persons) tending to construe words in the strict sense or in an unimaginative way; matter-of-fact; prosaic.
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of or relating to the letters of the alphabet.
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of the nature of letters.
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expressed by letters.
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affecting a letter or letters.
a literal error.
noun
adjective
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in exact accordance with or limited to the primary or explicit meaning of a word or text
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word for word
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dull, factual, or prosaic
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consisting of, concerning, or indicated by letters
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true; actual
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maths containing or using coefficients and constants represented by letters: ax² + b is a literal expression Compare numerical
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of literal
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin litterālis “of letters.” See letter 1, -al 1
Explanation
To describe something as literal is to say that it is exactly what it seems to be. For example, if you put up a literal barrier to keep the world out, you've actually built a real wall. The background of literal includes the Latin litterālis, meaning "of letters or writing." This led to the sense of exactness, suggesting something is "to the letter." Many people misuse this word, as in "Listening to that dull teacher put me in a literal coma." Possible, but highly doubtful.
Vocabulary lists containing literal
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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AP English Lit exam terms
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Vocabulary to Describe Literary Devices
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is poignant that Ms. Hruska’s book ends with a literal romance blooming from the act of translation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
And the last thing we need is a world without mothers — literal or figurative.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
And the last thing we need is a world without mothers — literal or figurative.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
The process took over 45 minutes, said the unnamed eyewitness, who told NT News that there were "literal nappies", excrement and urine in the hole.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
Charles Apatan was the most literal person I knew.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
