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lit·er·al·ly

(lĭtər-ə-lē)

adv.

1. In a literal manner; word for word: translated the Greek passage literally.

2. In a literal or strict sense: Don't take my remarks literally.

3. Actually; in effect; practically. Used as an intensive to emphasize a figurative statement in an exaggerated way: “There are people in the world who literally do not know how to boil water” (Craig Claiborne). I was so angry that my heart literally exploded with rage.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

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