literally (English)
Where does "literally" come from?
The word 'literally' traces its origins to the Middle English 'litteraly', which was formed by adding the suffix 'ly' to the adjective 'literal'. This parent term ultimately derives from the Latin 'litteralis', meaning 'of or belonging to letters'. Over centuries, the term has shifted from its original sense of being 'word for word' to function as a versatile, and sometimes contradictory, intensifier in modern English.
Full etymology tree
- literally (English), 'Word for word, exactly as stated.'
- derived literal (English), '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.'
- inherited literal (Middle English)
- inherited literal (Old French), 'literal (exactly as stated)'
- inherited literalis (Medieval Latin)
- inherited litteralis (Latin), 'literary'
- derived littera (Latin), 'letter (of the alphabet)'
- inherited litteralis (Latin), 'literary'
- inherited literalis (Medieval Latin)
- inherited literal (Old French), 'literal (exactly as stated)'
- inherited literal (Middle English)
- affix -ly (English), 'Used to form adjectives from nouns, the adjectives having the sense of "behaving like, or having a nature typical of what is denoted by the noun" Similar in meaning to -like but most often paired with animate nouns.'
- derived literal (English), '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.'
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris