English · Word Candidate

literal

/ˈlɪt(ə)ɹəl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: literals

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Exactly as stated; read or understood without interpretation; according to the letter; not figurative or metaphorical; following the letter or exact words; not taking liberties; etymonic rather than idiomatic.

Adjective

Examples

The literal translation of Spanish irse al otro barrio is "to go to the other neighbourhood" but it means "to die".

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Actual, real, physical.

Adjective

Examples

Mechanically, operating this hybrid vehicle is sort of a cross between driving a car and taming an animal, which means the movie treats the audience to the sight of a man (pretending to be a teenager) driving a literal monster truck in a field next to a woman (also pretending to be a teenager) ridin

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A misprint (or occasionally a scribal error) that affects a letter.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

An atomic formula (consisting of a propositional variable) or its negation.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “literal” mean?

Is “literal” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.