of or relating to a text or texts based on or conforming to a text
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
tex•tu•al
(teks′cho̅o̅ əl),USA pronunciation adj.
tex′tu•al•ly, adv.
- of or pertaining to a text:textual errors.
- Religionbased on or conforming to the text, as of the Scriptures:a textual interpretation of the Bible.
- Medieval Latin, as above
- Middle French
- Medieval Latin textu(s) (see text) + -al1; replacing Middle English textuel
- Middle English 1350–1400
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
text /tɛkst/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- the main body of matter in a manuscript, book, etc., as distinguished from notes, appendixes, illustrations, etc:[uncountable]Did you look at the pictures or did you actually read the text?
- the actual, original words of an author or speaker, as opposed to a translation, etc.:[countable]We could send away for a copy of the text of the interview.
- any of the various forms in which a writing exists:[countable]The text is a medieval transcription.
- a textbook:[countable]The texts haven't arrived for the class yet.
- Religion a short passage of Scripture, esp. one chosen as the subject of a sermon:[countable]He chose as the text for his sermon the Sermon on the Mount.
text
(tekst),USA pronunciation n.
text′less, adj.
- the main body of matter in a manuscript, book, newspaper, etc., as distinguished from notes, appendixes, headings, illustrations, etc.
- the original words of an author or speaker, as opposed to a translation, paraphrase, commentary, or the like:The newspaper published the whole text of the speech.
- the actual wording of anything written or printed:You have not kept to the text of my remarks.
- any of the various forms in which a writing exists:The text is a medieval transcription.
- the wording adopted by an editor as representing the original words of an author:the authoritative text of Catullus.
- any theme or topic;
subject. - the words of a song or the like.
- a textbook.
- Religiona short passage of Scripture, esp. one chosen in proof of a doctrine or as the subject of a sermon:The text he chose was theSermon on the Mount.
- Religionthe letter of the Holy Scripture, or the Scriptures themselves.
- [Print.]
- PrintingSee black letter.
- Printingtype, as distinguished from illustrations, margins, etc.
- Linguisticsa unit of connected speech or writing, esp. composed of more than one sentence, that forms a cohesive whole.
- anything considered to be a subject for analysis by or as if by methods of literary criticism.
- Medieval Latin textus text, terms, Latin: text, structure, origin, originally, pattern of weaving, texture (of cloth), equivalent. to tex(ere) to weave + -tus suffix of verb, verbal action
- Middle English 1300–50
'textual' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
annotated
- critical
- criticism
- form criticism
- icon
- italicize
- large language model
- loc. cit.
- lower criticism
- new criticism
- op. cit.
- publish
- textual criticism
- textualism
- textualist
- textuary
- typeset