literals
ər adjective
1.
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.
2.
following the words of the original very closely and exactly: a literal translation of Goethe.
3.
true to fact; not exaggerated; actual or factual: a literal description of conditions.
4.
being actually such, without exaggeration or inaccuracy: the literal extermination of a city.
5.
(of persons) tending to construe words in the strict sense or in an unimaginative way; matter-of-fact; prosaic.
noun
10.
a typographical error, especially involving a single letter.
00:10
Literals
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To literals
Collins
World English Dictionary
literal (ˈlɪtərəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | in exact accordance with or limited to the primary or explicit meaning of a word or text |
| 2. | word for word |
| 3. | dull, factual, or prosaic |
| 4. | consisting of, concerning, or indicated by letters |
| 5. | true; actual |
| 6. | maths Compare numerical containing or using coefficients and constants represented by letters: ax² + b is a literal expression |
| —n | |
| 7. | Also called: literal error a misprint or misspelling in a text |
| [C14: from Late Latin litterālis concerning letters, from Latin littera | |
| 'literalness | |
| —n | |
| literality | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
literal
late 14c., "taking words in their natural meaning" (originally in reference to Scripture and opposed to mystical or allegorical), from O.Fr. literal, from L.L. lit(t)eralis "of or belonging to letters or writing," from L. lit(t)era "letter." Sense of "verbally exact" is attested from 1590s. Literal-minded
is attested from 1869.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Nearby Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
