literalist
literalist Lexical Profile
literalist Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who adheres to the exact, primary meaning of words or texts, especially in religious scripture or legal documents, without allowing for metaphor or figurative interpretation.
"As a biblical literalist, he interpreted the creation account in Genesis as a factual historical timeline."
An artist or writer who depicts subjects with strict, unidealized accuracy and attention to exact detail.
"The painter was a dedicated literalist who captured every weathered crease and blemish on his subjects' faces."
• adjective
Relating to or characterized by an adherence to the exact, primary meaning of words or texts without metaphorical interpretation.
"The court rejected a strictly literalist reading of the statute in favor of considering its broader legislative intent."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the mid-19th century from the adjective 'literal' (ultimately from Latin 'litteralis', meaning 'of or belonging to letters or writing') plus the agentive suffix '-ist'.