nonliteral.

Not understood as the strict literal wording or direct surface reference.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• nonliteral meaning
• nonliteral interpretation

On the page

The nonliteral meaning was conventional rather than invented by the reader.

The interpretation was nonliteral but supported by the surrounding passage.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Normally relational or categorical; comparison only where the particular property admits gradation. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: artistic orientation, figurative interpretation, life writing, narrative knowledge. Disciplines: literary writing, literary analysis, advanced general English. Commonness: moderately common.