literally

/ˈlɪtəɹəli/

//ˈlɪtəɹəli// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"literally" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“literally” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,311 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#1,311
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Word for word, exactly as stated.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

literally vs literary
78% similar
literally vs literal
78% similar
literally vs literacy
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for literally
PropertyValue
Headwordliterally
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈlɪtəɹəli/
Letters9
Frequency rank#1,311
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “literally” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). literally lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for literally is 9 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlɪtəɹəli/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,311 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for literally, with forms such as "ilterally", "lietrally", and "litearlly". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "literary", "literal", "literacy", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English litteraly. See literal and letter. By surface analysis, literal + -ly. The correct English form is literally, spelled L-I-T-E-R-A-L-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Word for word, exactly as stated.
  2. 2
    Word for word, exactly as stated.
  3. 3
    Word for word, exactly as stated.
  4. 4
    As an intensifier.
  5. 5
    As an intensifier.
  6. 6
    Used as a generic downtoner: just, merely.

Etymology

From Middle English litteraly. See literal and letter. By surface analysis, literal + -ly.

This word in other languages

literalmente(Español)littéralement(Français)wörtlich(Deutsch)literalmente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ilterally,lietrally,litearlly,literallyy,literaly,literalyl,literlaly,literrally,litreally,litterally,lliterally,ltierally

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of literally - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ilterally2lietrally2litearlly2literallyy1literaly1literalyl2literlaly2literrally1
Edit distance from "literally"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "literally"?
"literally" is spelled L-I-T-E-R-A-L-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɪtəɹəli/.
What does "literally" mean?
As an adverb, "literally" means: Word for word, exactly as stated.
What words are commonly confused with "literally"?
"literally" is commonly confused with "literary", "literal", "literacy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "literally"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "literally" is /ˈlɪtəɹəli/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "literally"?
From Middle English litteraly. See literal and letter. By surface analysis, literal + -ly. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “literally”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-I-T-E-R-A-L-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɪtəɹəli/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “literary” - see the side-by-side comparison. literally vs literary
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list