textual

adjective

tex·​tu·​al ˈteks-chə-wəl How to pronounce textual (audio)
-chəl
: of, relating to, or based on a text
textuality
ˌteks-chə-ˈwa-lə-tē
noun
textually adverb

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Before the invention of the printing press, books were produced by hand. When the text of a book is copied this way, textual errors can creep in, and a text that's been copied again and again can contain many such errors. By comparing different copies of a work, textual critics try to figure out where the copyists went wrong and restore the text to its original form so that modern readers can again enjoy the correct versions of ancient texts. When a class performs textual analysis of a poem, however, they are looking closely at its individual words and phrases in an effort to determine the poem's meanings.

Examples of textual in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Best to relieve yourself of textual worries and bask in the fraught lyricism. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2024 However, no visual or textual references to the objects have been found in historical records. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2024 The fight over this land has been very textual since Day One. Amir Sommer, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024 To parse writing, AI models sleuth through textual clues, such as word choices, to see their connections. Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Scientific American, 21 Apr. 2023 There were rules for postures, steps, and musical structures; for textual and sculptural sources; for performance, including what order particular pieces should be performed in. Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024 One is a short letter written in October of that same year by Franklin to Collinson, reproduced in The Philadelphia Gazette (with some textual differences). Chuong Nguyen, Ars Technica, 24 May 2023 Since Hecht is among the most erudite of modern poets, steeped in the Bible as well as Shakespeare, readers may be pleased to find nearly 50 pages of textual notes, plus a brief chronology. David Mason, WSJ, 3 Nov. 2023 These are daring attempts to map the larger structures that shape how books are written and published, but their attention to the big picture can obscure how novels operate on a visceral, textual level. Kevin Lozano, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'textual.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English textuel, from Medieval Latin textus text

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of textual was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near textual

Cite this Entry

“Textual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/textual. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

textual

adjective
tex·​tu·​al ˈteks-chə(-wə)l How to pronounce textual (audio)
: of, relating to, or based on a text
textuality
ˌteks-chə-ˈwal-ət-ē
noun
textually
ˈtek-chə-(wə)l-ē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on textual

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