Word of the day · 9 July 2026
literally
/ˈlɪtərəli/
adverb
In a literal sense; according to the exact meaning of the words, not figuratively.
In a sentence
- The sign literally said closed until Monday.
- Steam literally filled the kitchen after the valve failed.
- She meant the metaphor, not that the city literally slept.
In an image
Origin
From Latin litteralis (of letters), from littera (letter); English formed literally from literal.
History
Literally once marked a claim that words should be taken at face value: the bridge literally collapsed. Speakers also use it for emphasis (I literally died laughing), which dictionaries now record even as teachers wince. Lookups spike because readers want to know whether a sentence claims a real event or a figure of speech. You can note the emphatic habit without pretending it never happens.
Nearby words
exactly · actually · figuratively
Exact meaning first; emphatic stretch is common, and that is why people check it.