ˈlɪtərəl adj. & n. --adj. 1
taking words in
their usual or
primary sense without metaphor or
allegory (literal interpretation). 2
following the letter,
text, or
exact or
original words (literal
translation; a literal transcript). 3 (in full literal-minded) (of a person)
prosaic;
matter of
fact. 4 a
not exaggerated (the literal truth). b so called without exaggeration (a literal extermination). 5 colloq. disp. so called
with some exaggeration or using metaphor (a literal
avalanche of mail). 6
of,
in, or expressed by a letter or the letters of the
alphabet. 7
Algebra not
numerical. --n.
Printing a
misprint of a letter. øøliterality n. literalize v.tr. (also -ise). literally adv. literalness n. [ME f. OF literal or LL litteralis f. L littera (as LETTER)]