LITERAL

[adjective] - exactly the same as the original basic meaning of a word or expressionThe literal meaning of 'television' is 'seeing from a distance'.You need to demonstrate to the examiners that you have more than a literal understanding of the text.Her translation is too literal (= done one word at a time and therefore unnatural), resulting in heavy, colorless prose.I can't accept literal interpretations of Bible stories like Adam and Eve.Richard can be very literal-minded sometimes. When I said I'd rather die than spend a weekend with Nancy, he thought I meant it.Compare figurative (LANGUAGE).