adverb

literally

literally, actually, exactly

He translated the text literally.

He translated the text literally.

I was literally freezing cold.

I was literally freezing cold.

literally ((verb)) to do (sth.) literally He literally translated the word.

literally ((adjective)) to be literally (adjective) I was literally speechless.

Synonyms: actually, exactly, verbatim; Antonyms: figuratively, metaphorically

From the adjective 'literal' plus the adverb-forming suffix '-ly'.

Originally meant 'in a literal way', but is now often used as an intensifier to mean 'truly' or 'really'. Be aware of these two distinct uses.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.