adj. & n.
--adj.
1. taking words in their usual or primary sense without metaphor or allegory (literal interpretation).
2 following the letter, text, or exact or original words (literal translation; a literal transcript).
3 (in full literal-minded) (of a person) prosaic; matter of fact.
4 a not exaggerated (the literal truth). b so called without exaggeration (a literal extermination).
5 colloq. disp. so called with some exaggeration or using metaphor (a literal avalanche of mail).
6 of, in, or expressed by a letter or the letters of the alphabet.
7 Algebra not numerical.
--n. Printing a misprint of a letter.
Derivatives:
literality n. literalize v.tr. (also -ise). literally adv. literalness n.
Etymology: ME f. OF literal or LL litteralis f. L littera (as LETTER)