literal (Spanish)
Where does "literal" come from?
The Spanish word "literal" is derived from the Late Latin "litterālis," which itself traces back to the Latin word for a letter of the alphabet, "littera." Interestingly, the word's deeper roots are shrouded in mystery, with some theories linking "littera" to the ancient Greek "diphthérā," meaning "writing material" or "leather," suggesting a long evolution from physical surfaces used for inscriptions to the precise meanings we use today.
Full etymology tree
- literal (Spanish), 'literal'
- borrowed litterālis (Latin), 'literary'
- derived littera (Latin), 'letter (of the alphabet)'
- derived līnō (Latin), 'to daub, besmear, anoint'
- inherited *linō (Proto-Italic), 'to smear'
- inherited *h₂leyH- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to smear'
- derived *h₂linéHti (Proto-Indo-European), 'to be smearing'
- inherited *h₂leyH- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to smear'
- inherited *linō (Proto-Italic), 'to smear'
- borrowed διφθέρᾱ (diphthērā) (Ancient Greek)
- inherited δέψω (dépsō) (Ancient Greek)
- derived līnō (Latin), 'to daub, besmear, anoint'
- affix -ālis (Latin), 'Suffixed to nouns or numerals creating adjectives of relationship.'
- derived littera (Latin), 'letter (of the alphabet)'
- borrowed litterālis (Latin), 'literary'
Ancestors
- litteralis (Latin)
Descendants and derived words
- literalidad (Spanish)
- literalmente (Spanish)
- traducción literal (Spanish)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris