Etymology

literal

L1I1T1E1R1A1L1

Today it means: 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. Full definition →

Middle English literal ← Old French litera ← Late Latin litterāli
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂leyH-
  2. Old Latinleitera
  3. Latinlīterader.?
  4. Proto-Hellenic*dipʰtʰérā?
  5. Ancient Greekδιφθέρᾱ (diphthérā)
  6. Etruscan[Term?]bor.?
  7. Latinlittera
  8. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  10. Late Latinlitterāli
  11. Old Frenchlitera
  12. Middle Englishliteral
  13. English todayliteral

From Middle English literal, from Old French literal, from Late Latin litteralis or literalis (“of or pertaining to letters or to writing”), from Latin littera or litera (“a letter”). See letter.

Words from the same roots

Latinlittera all →

letterliteration

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.