literal in WordNet English dictionary

1. being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
   "her actual motive"; "a literal solitude like a desert"- G.K.Chesterton; "a genuine dilemma"
   actual  genuine  literal  real 
   
2. limited to the explicit meaning of a word or text
   "a literal translation"
   literal 
   
3. without interpretation or embellishment
   "a literal depiction of the scene before him"
   literal 
   
4. avoiding embellishment or exaggeration (used for emphasis)
   "it's the literal truth"
   literal 
   

1. a mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind
   misprint  erratum  typographical error  typo  literal error  literal