literal
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.the most basic or exact meaning of a word, without any metaphors or exaggeration.
adj.pertaining to the primary or strict meaning of a word or expression; devoid of metaphorical or figurative interpretation.
Simple“The literal meaning of 'blue' is a color, but it can also mean feeling sad.”
In context“The translator struggled to balance a literal rendering of the text with the need to preserve the author's poetic tone.”
Usageusually placed before the noun
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.used to emphasize that something is real or actually happened.
adj.denoting the actual or factual nature of a thing; used to emphasize that a description is not an exaggeration.
Simple“The storm caused a literal mountain of trash to wash up on the beach.”
In context“The explorers faced a literal wall of ice that blocked their path to the summit for three days.”
PitfallI had a literal heart attack when I saw the bill. I had a figurative heart attack when I saw the bill.Avoid using 'literal' for things that did not actually happen; 'figurative' or 'metaphorical' is more accurate if you are exaggerating.
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a fixed value written directly into a computer program, like a specific number or a piece of text.
n.a notation for representing a fixed value within source code, as opposed to a variable or an identifier.
Simple“In the code, the number 5 is a literal, while 'x' is a variable.”
In context“The compiler optimizes the program by evaluating string literals at compile time rather than during execution.”
Usagecountable noun in technical contexts
Antonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a small mistake in printing or writing, especially one that involves a single letter.
n.a typographical error involving a single character or letter, often occurring during typesetting or transcription.
Simple“The editor found a few literals in the first chapter that needed correcting.”
In context“Despite multiple rounds of proofreading, a single literal remained in the final title of the academic journal.”
Synonymstypomisprint
literal vs literary — Literal describes the exact, non-figurative meaning of words, while literary describes things related to books and formal writing.
“Qué pasa is a bit like saying 'what's up', 'what’s going on’' or 'hey' in English, in its literal sense in Spanish meaning 'what's happening’ or ‘what happens’.”
“Unfortunately, there isn't a literal translation for golden parachute or golden handshake; you might say instead the person got a lot of ' pasta ' (Spanish slang term for money).”
From Middle English literal, from Old French literal, from Late Latin litteralis or literalis (“of or pertaining to letters or to writing”), from Latin littera or litera (“a letter”). See letter.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.