adjective

1. of, involving, or expressed by a letter or letters of the alphabet literal notation
2. following or representing the exact words of the original; word-for-word a literal translation
3. 1. based on the actual words in their ordinary meaning; not figurative or symbolic the literal meaning of a passage
   2. giving the actual denotation of the word: said of the senses of words
   3. giving the original or earlier meaning of a word; etymological the literal meaning of ponder is “to weigh”
4. 1. habitually interpreting statements or words according to their actual denotation; prosaic; matter-of-fact a literal mind
   2. having a literal mind; lacking imagination
5. real; not going beyond the actual facts; accurate; unvarnished the literal truth
6. being so in fact but not in name; virtual the chairperson is a literal dictator

Etymology: ME litterall < MFr litteral < LL litteralis < L littera, letter

noun