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Literal vs Sarcastic - What's the difference?

literal | sarcastic |

As adjectives the difference between literal and sarcastic

is that literal is exactly as stated; read or understood without additional interpretation; according to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical while sarcastic is sarcastic.

As a noun literal

is (programming) a value, as opposed to an identifier, written into the source code of a computer program.

literal

English

(wikipedia literal) (Webster 1913)

Alternative forms

* litteral (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Exactly as stated; read or understood without additional interpretation; according to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical.
    • The literal translation is “hands full of bananas” but it means empty-handed.
  • * Hooker
    • a middle course between the rigour of literal translation and the liberty of paraphrasts
  • Following the letter or exact words; not free; not taking liberties.
    • A literal reading of the law would prohibit it, but that is clearly not the intent.
  • (uncommon) Consisting of, or expressed by, letters.
    • a literal equation
  • * Johnson
    • The literal notation of numbers was known to Europeans before the ciphers.
  • (of a person) Giving a strict or literal construction; unimaginative; matter-of-fact.

    • Antonyms

    * (exactly as stated) figurative

    Related terms

    * letter * literacy * literary * literate * literature

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (programming) A value, as opposed to an identifier, written into the source code of a computer program.
  • (logic) A propositional variable or the negation of a propositional variable.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resolution_%28logic%29]

    • See also

    * constant * prime formula

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    sarcastic

    English

    Alternative forms

    * sarcastick (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Containing sarcasm.
  • (of a person) Having the personality trait of expressing sarcasm.
  • * 1912 ,
    • Her eyes slanted a little... and were sometimes full of fiery determination and sometimes dull and opaque. Her expression was never altogether amiable; was often, indeed, distinctly sullen, or, when she was animated, sarcastic .

    Synonyms

    * sarky (British) * snarky

    Derived terms

    * sarky

    See also

    * ironic * sardonic * snide

    References

    * * * " sarcastic" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * * Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996) ----