literal

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈlɪt(ə)rəl/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Adjective

Positive literal

Comparative more literal

Superlative most literal

1. The literal meaning of a word or phrase is the plain meaning: exactly what it says.

   It is not enough to understand the literal meaning of speech.

   Many Christians have a view of life that is based on a literal interpretation of the Bible.

   This mission has been the adventure of a lifetime in a very literal sense; it has taken my whole life.

Synonyms

• correct
• honest
• plain
• accurate
• bare
• exact
• precise

Antonyms

• imaginative
• figurative

Related words

• literally