Wordwyrt

literal

/ˈlɪtəəl/LIH-tur-uhl
/ˈlɪtɚəl/LIH-tur-uhl

Meaningby the letter

Common meaning: following the exact words

Journey through time

  1. Latinlittera‘an alphabet character’
  2. Englishliteral‘following the exact words’ · today

liter also in: literacyliteraryliterateliteratureobliterate

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin littera ‘an alphabet character; (plural) writing’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry littera, p. 1071 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • littera Latin “an alphabet character; (plural) writing”

Related words

literacyliteraryliterateliteratureobliterate

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