adj. & adv.
adj. 1 actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact. 2 genuine; rightly so called; not artificial or merely apparent. 3 Law consisting of or relating to immovable property such as land or houses (real estate) (cf. personal property). 4 appraised by purchasing power; adjusted for changes in the value of money (real value; income in real terms). 5 Philos. having an absolute and necessary and not merely contingent existence. 6 Math. (of a quantity) having no imaginary part (see IMAGINARY 2). 7 Optics (of an image etc.) such that light actually passes through it.
adv. Sc. & US colloq. really, very. for real colloq. as a serious or actual concern; in earnest. real ale beer regarded as brewed in a traditional way, with secondary fermentation in the cask. real life that lived by actual people, as distinct from fiction, drama, etc. real live (attrib.) often joc. actual; not pretended or simulated (a real live burglar). the real McCoy see MCCOY. real money current coin or notes; cash. real tennis the original form of tennis played on an indoor court. the real thing (of an object or emotion) genuine, not inferior. real time the actual time during which a process or event occurs. real-time (attrib.) Computing (of a system) in which the response time is of the order of milliseconds, e.g. in an airline booking system. realness n.
[ AF = OF reel, LL realis f. L res thing ]