Yahoo India Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   literal

   /ˈlɪt(ə)rəl/

   adjective

   • 1. taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or exaggeration: "dreadful in its literal sense, full of dread"
   • ▪ free from exaggeration or distortion: "you shouldn't take this as a literal record of events" Similar strictfactualplainsimplebareexactstraightforwardstarkunvarnishedunexaggeratedunembellishedundistortedunadulteratedobjectivenarrowcorrecttruetruthfulfaithfulaccurategenuineauthenticveritableveraciousgospelOpposite metaphoricalfigurativelooseapproximate
   • ▪ absolute (used to emphasize that a strong expression is deliberately chosen to convey one's feelings): informal "fifteen years of literal hell"
   • 2. (of a translation) representing the exact words of the original text: "a literal translation from the Spanish" Similar word-for-wordverbatimline-for-lineletter-for-letterexactprecisefaithfulclosestrictto the letterundeviatingtrueaccuraterare:literatimOpposite looseliberalvague
   • ▪ (of a visual representation) exactly copied; realistic as opposed to abstract or impressionistic.
   • 3. (of a person or performance) lacking imagination; prosaic: "his interpretation was rather too literal" Similar literal-mindeddown-to-earthfactualmatter-of-factno-nonsenseunsentimentallevel-headedhard-headedprosaicunimaginativecolourlesspedestriantediousboringdullhumdrumuninspireduninspiringprosyOpposite whimsical
   • 4. of, in, or expressed by a letter or the letters of the alphabet: "literal mnemonics"

   noun

   • 1. a misprint of a letter. British

   Word Origin late Middle English: from Old French, or from late Latin litteralis, from Latin littera (see letter).

   Derivatives

   • 1. literality noun
   • 2. literalness noun

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • L

     1

   • I

     1

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   • A

     1

   • L

     1

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

2. People also ask

   What is the literal meaning of a word?

   • LITERAL definition: 1. The literal meaning of a word is its original, basic meaning: 2. A literal translation of a…. Learn more.

   LITERAL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/literal

   See all results for this question

   What is a literal translation?

   • The literal sense of a word or phrase is its most basic sense. In many cases, the people there are fighting, in a literal sense, for their homes. A literal translation is one in which you translate each word of the original work rather than giving the meaning of each expression or sentence using words that sound natural .

   LITERAL definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/literal

   See all results for this question

   What is the difference between literal and literal?

   • The word literal means, adhering to fact or primary meaning or exact, verbatim, without exaggeration. Literally means, in a literal sense, actually. Now, the problem with the word literally is that it is used most often as hyperbole or in an exaggerative sense. Obvious example: “The guy's literally an asshole.”

   What does 'literally' mean? I am so confused, literally. Do ... - Quora

   www.quora.com/What-does-literally-mean-I-am-so-confused-literally-Do-people-use-literally-the-wrong-way-See-the-description

   See all results for this question

   What does literally mean?

   • ‘’Literally’’ meansin the exact meaning of the word/expression’, as opposed to figuratively. It is derived from the Latin ‘’litera’’ meaning letter, as in letter of the alphabet. ‘’Litera’’ is also found in the words literate and illiterate.

   What does 'literally' mean? I am so confused, literally. Do ... - Quora

   www.quora.com/What-does-literally-mean-I-am-so-confused-literally-Do-people-use-literally-the-wrong-way-See-the-description

   See all results for this question

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishLITERAL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   having exactly the same meaning as the basic or original meaning of a word or expression: a literal interpretation of the Constitution A literal translation of a phrase in another language gives the meaning of each separate word.

   • English (US)

     LITERAL meaning: 1. The literal meaning of a word is its...

   • Znaczenie Literal, Definicja W Cambridge English Dictionary

     literal definicja: 1. The literal meaning of a word is its...

   • Literal: Arabic Translation

     LITERAL translate: حَرفي. Learn more in the Cambridge...

   • Literal: Korean Translation

     LITERAL translate: 문자의. Learn more in the Cambridge...

   • Pronunciation in English

     LITERAL pronunciation. How to say literal. Listen to the...

   • Simplified

     LITERAL translate: （意义）字面的，根本的, 逐字（翻译）的. Learn more in the...

   • LITERAL in Japanese

     LITERAL translate: 文字どおりの, 文字通（もじどお）りの. Learn more in the...

   • Vietnamese Translation

     LITERAL translate: theo nghĩa đen, theo nghĩa của chữ. Learn...

4. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › literalLiteral Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › literal

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning of literal as an adjective and a noun, with synonyms, examples, and word history. Find out how literal differs from figurative, irony, and hyperbole.

5. Videos

   • 

     8:14

     youtube.com

     "What is Literature?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

     3 Jan 2022

     72.6K views

   • 

     5:03

     youtube.com

     Literal & Figurative Language Difference | Literal meaning vs Figurative meaning | Figurative Tools

     4 Apr 2023

     18.2K views

   • 

     5:24

     study.com

     Literal vs. Figurative Language | Definition & Examples

     19 Oct 2017

     115K views

   View all

6. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › literalLiteral - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › literal

   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.

7. www.dictionary.com › browse › literalLITERAL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › literal

   • Cached

   Literal definition: in accordance with, involving, or being the primary or strict meaning of the word or words; not figurative or metaphorical. See examples of LITERAL used in a sentence.

8. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishLITERAL definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning, pronunciation, synonyms, and usage of the word 'literal' in British and American English. Find out how to distinguish between literal and figurative, literal and etymological, literal and numerical, and literal and typographical meanings.

9. www.thefreedictionary.com › literalLiteral - definition of literal by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › literal

   • Cached

   adj. 1. Conforming or limited to the simplest, nonfigurative, or most obvious meaning of a word or words. 2. Word for word; verbatim: a literal translation. 3. Avoiding exaggeration, metaphor, or embellishment; factual; prosaic: a literal description; a literal mind. 4. Consisting of, using, or expressed by letters: literal notation. n. Computers.

10. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definitionliteral adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and ...

    www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition

    • Cached

    Learn the meaning, pronunciation and usage of the word literal, which means being the most basic meaning of a word or phrase, rather than an extended or poetic meaning. See examples, synonyms and contrast with figurative and metaphorical.