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Definition literal in British English

literal adjective

adjective
/ˈlɪt(ə)rəl/
1

the literal meaning of a word is its most basic meaning

Example

He is clearly not using the word 'dead' in its literal sense.

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2

a literal translation is one in which each word is translated separately in a way that does not sound natural

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3

understanding words or ideas only in a basic and obvious way, and not their hidden or more unusual meanings

Example

Young children can be very literal.

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Definition literal in British English