adj.
Pronunciation: ' li-t( ə -)r ə l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin litteralis, from Latin, of a letter, from littera letter
Date: 14th century
1 a : according with the letter of the scriptures b : adhering to fact or to the ordinary construction or primary meaning of a term or expression : ACTUAL <liberty in the literal sense is impossible ― B. N. Cardozo> c : free from exaggeration or embellishment <the literal truth> d : characterized by a concern mainly with facts <a very literal man>
2 : of, relating to, or expressed in letters
3 : reproduced word for word : EXACT , VERBATIM <a literal translation>
– lit · er · al · i · ty \ ˌ li-t ə - ' ra-l ə -t ē \ noun
– lit · er · al · ness \ ' li-t( ə -)r ə l-n ə s \ noun