literality: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “literality” mean?
The quality, state, or condition of being literal.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality, state, or condition of being literal; strict adherence to the exact meaning of a word or text.
A literal interpretation or expression; something that is to be taken at face value without metaphor, allegory, or exaggeration. Can also refer to an instance of literal wording.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in definition. The word is equally rare in both variants.
Connotations
Neutral, slightly scholarly. No regional connotations.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both corpora, primarily found in literary criticism, linguistics, philosophy, and legal contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “literality” in a Sentence
the literality of [noun phrase]interpret with literalityargue for/against literalityVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “literality” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No verb form. The related verb is 'literalise'.)
American English
- (No verb form. The related verb is 'literalize'.)
adverb
British English
- (No direct adverb form. Use 'literally'.)
American English
- (No direct adverb form. Use 'literally'.)
adjective
British English
- His reading was one of pure literality.
- The poet rejected the literality of the description.
American English
- She argued for the text's literality.
- The contract's literality left no room for interpretation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in contract law discussions regarding the interpretation of clauses.
Academic
Primary context. Used in literary theory, hermeneutics, semantics, theology (e.g., biblical literality), and philosophy of language.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A layperson would say 'taking it literally' instead.
Technical
Used in linguistics to discuss semantic interpretation and in legal contexts for statutory construction.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “literality”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “literality”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “literality”
- Misspelling as 'literallity' (double 'l').
- Using it in casual conversation where 'literal meaning' would be more natural.
- Confusing it with 'literacy' or 'literature'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a standard, though rare, noun in the English language, derived from 'literal'. It is listed in major dictionaries like the OED and Merriam-Webster.
'Literality' is a noun meaning 'the quality of being literal'. 'Literally' is an adverb meaning 'in a literal manner or sense'. You discuss 'literality', but you interpret something 'literally'.
Use 'literality' in formal, academic, or technical writing to refer to the abstract concept or principle. In everyday speech and most writing, 'literal meaning' or 'taking it literally' is more natural and clear.
It can be, but it's uncommon. The plural 'literalities' might be used to refer to multiple instances or types of literal interpretations (e.g., 'the various literalities proposed by the commentators').
The quality, state, or condition of being literal.
Literality is usually formal, academic in register.
Literality: in British English it is pronounced /ˌlɪtəˈrælɪti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌlɪtəˈrælɪti/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(none - the word is itself a formal, abstract noun)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'LITERAL-ity'. It's the state (-ity) of being LITERAL, like 'reality' is the state of being real.
Conceptual Metaphor
LITERALITY IS A STRICT ADHERENCE TO A PATH (e.g., 'stick to the letter', 'follow the exact wording').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'literality' MOST likely to be used?