LITERAL
Dictionary entry overview: What does literal mean?
• LITERAL (noun)
The noun LITERAL has 1 sense:
1. a mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind
Familiarity information: LITERAL used as a noun is very rare.
• LITERAL (adjective)
The adjective LITERAL has 4 senses:
1. being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
2. without interpretation or embellishment
3. limited to the explicit meaning of a word or text
4. avoiding embellishment or exaggeration (used for emphasis)
Familiarity information: LITERAL used as an adjective is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• LITERAL (noun)
Meaning:
A mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
erratum; literal; literal error; misprint; typo; typographical error
Hypernyms ("literal" is a kind of...):
error; mistake (part of a statement that is not correct)
• LITERAL (adjective)
Meaning:
Being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
Synonyms:
literal; actual; genuine; real
Context examples:
her actual motive / a literal solitude like a desert / a genuine dilemma
Similar:
true (consistent with fact or reality; not false)
Meaning:
Without interpretation or embellishment
Context example:
a literal depiction of the scene before him
Similar:
exact (marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact)
Meaning:
Limited to the explicit meaning of a word or text
Context example:
a literal translation
Similar:
denotative; explicit (in accordance with fact or the primary meaning of a term)
Also:
exact (marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact)
unrhetorical (not rhetorical)
Antonym:
figurative ((used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech)
Meaning:
Avoiding embellishment or exaggeration (used for emphasis)
Context example:
it's the literal truth
Similar:
plain (not elaborate or elaborated; simple)
