real

English Online Dictionary. What means real‎? What does real mean?

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English real, from Old French reel, from Late Latin reālis (“actual”), from Latin rēs (“matter, thing”), from Proto-Indo-European *reh₁ís (“wealth, goods”). Doublet of realis.

Pronunciation

• enPR: rēəl, rēl, IPA^(key): /ˈɹiːəl/, /ɹiːl/
• Rhymes: -iːəl, -iːl
• Homophone: reel (some accents)

Adjective

real (comparative realer or more real, superlative realest or most real)

1. True, genuine, not merely nominal or apparent.
2. Genuine, not artificial, counterfeit, or fake.

3. Genuine, unfeigned, sincere.

4. Actually being, existing, or occurring; not fictitious or imaginary.

   a description of real life
5. That has objective, physical existence.

6. (economics) Having been adjusted to remove the effects of inflation; measured in purchasing power (contrast nominal).

7. (economics) Relating to the result of the actions of rational agents; relating to neoclassical economic models as opposed to Keynesian models.
8. (mathematics, of a number) Being either a rational number, or the limit of a convergent infinite sequence of rational numbers: being one of a set of numbers with a one-to-one correspondence to the points on a line.
9. (law) Relating to immovable tangible property.
10. Absolute, complete, utter.

11. (slang) Signifying meritorious qualities or actions, especially with regard to the enjoyment of life, prowess at competitive activities such as sports, or rizzful success wooing potential partners.

12. (informal) Firm.

Synonyms

• (true, genuine): true, actual
• (genuine, not artificial): authentic, genuine, actual
• (genuine, unfeigned): authentic, genuine, heartfelt, true, actual, based
• (that has physical existence): actual

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “true, genuine”): imaginary, nonreal, unreal
• (antonym(s) of “genuine, not artificial”): artificial, counterfeit, fake, sham
• (antonym(s) of “genuine, unfeigned”): feigned, sham, staged
• (antonym(s) of “that has physical existence”): fictitious, imaginary, made-up, pretend (informal)
• (antonym(s) of “relating to numbers with a one-to-one correspondence to the points on a line”): imaginary

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

real (not comparable)

1. (US, colloquial) Really; very.

Translations

Noun

real (plural reals)

1. A commodity; see realty.
2. (grammar) One of the three genders that the common gender can be separated into in the Scandinavian languages.
3. (mathematics) A real number.
4. (obsolete) A realist.

Translations

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish real (“royal”), from Latin rēgālis (“regal, royal”). Doublet of ariary, regal, riyal, and royal.

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: rāäl', IPA^(key): /ɹeɪˈɑːl/
  • Rhymes: -ɑːl
• (US) enPR: rāäl', IPA^(key): /ɹeɪˈɑl/
  • Rhymes: -ɑl

Noun

real (plural reals or reales)

1. Former unit of currency of Spain and Spain's colonies.
3. A coin worth one real.

Translations

Etymology 3

From Portuguese real (“royal”), from Latin rēgālis (“regal; royal”). Doublet of ariary, regal, riyal, and royal.

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: rāäl', IPA^(key): /ɹeɪˈɑːl/
• (US) enPR: rāäl', IPA^(key): /ɹeɪˈɑl/
• Rhymes: -ɑːl, -ɑl

Noun

real (plural reis or réis or reals)

2. (uncountable) A unit of currency used in Portugal and its colonies from 1430 until 1911, and in Brazil from 1790 until 1942.

   Synonym: rei

3. (countable) A coin worth one real.

Noun

real (plural reais or reals)

2. (uncountable) A unit of currency used in Brazil since 1994. Symbol: R$.

   Meronym: centavo
3. (countable) A coin worth one real.

Related terms

• regal
• royal
• milreis

Translations

Anagrams

• Arel, Earl, Elar, Lare, Lear, Rael, Raël, earl, lare, lear, rale

Asturian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /reˈal/, [reˈal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: re‧al

Adjective

real (epicene, plural reales)

1. real
2. royal

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [reˈal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: re‧al

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Late Latin reālis, from Latin rēs.

Adjective

real m or f (masculine and feminine plural reals)

1. real

Derived terms

• nombre real
• realment

Related terms

• realitat

Etymology 2

Noun

real m (plural reals)

1. real (currency of Brazil)

Further reading

• “real” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “real”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “real” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “real” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Crimean Tatar

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin reālis (“real, actual”), from Latin rēs (“matter, thing”).

Adjective

real

1. real (true, genuine)
2. real (that has physical existence)

Synonyms

• aqiqiy, kerçek

References

• Mirjejev, V. A., Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎^[2], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN

Estonian

Noun

real

1. adessive singular of rida

Galician

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /reˈal/ [reˈɑɫ]
• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: re‧al

Etymology 1

From Latin rēgālis (“royal”), from rēx (“king”) + -alis, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs (“ruler, king”).

Adjective

real m or f (plural reais)

1. royal

   Synonym: rexio

Related terms

• realeza
• rei

Noun

real m (plural reais)

1. real (former unit of currency of Spain)
2. real (unit of currency used in Brazil)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Late Latin reālis (“actual”), from Latin rēs (“matter, thing”), from Proto-Indo-European *reh₁ís (“thing; possession”).

Adjective

real m or f (plural reais)

1. real (actually being, existing)

Derived terms

• número real

Related terms

• realidade
• realismo
• realista

Further reading

• “real”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2024

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin reālis. Doublet of reell.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʁeˈal/
• Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

real (strong nominative masculine singular realer, comparative realer, superlative am realsten)

1. real (that has physical existence)

   Synonyms: echt, existent, bestehend, gegenständlich, dinglich

   real existierender Sozialismus ― real socialism

2. real, realistic (pertaining to reality)

   Diese Geschichte ist nicht real. ― This story is not real.

   Sie ist ein kluges Mädchen; sie denkt real. ― She is a smart girl; she thinks realistically.

   reale Pläne ― real plans

3. real-world, practical, particularly (now chiefly archaic) concerned with actual things as opposed to words or ideas

   Realschule ― real school, school

   Realencyclopädie ― encyclopedia

   Realwörterbuch ― encyclopedia, technical dictionary

4. (economics) real (not nominal), measured in purchasing power

   reales Einkommen ― real income

Declension

Derived terms

Related terms

• Realität, realisieren

Descendants

• → Polish: realny

See also

• sachlich, tatsächlich, wirklich

Further reading

• “real” in Duden online
• “real” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Indonesian

Etymology

From English real, from Middle English real, from Old French reel, from Late Latin reālis (“actual”), from Latin rēs (“matter, thing”), from Proto-Indo-European *reh₁ís (“wealth, goods”). Doublet of riil.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈril]
• Hyphenation: rè‧al

Adjective

real

1. real.

   Synonyms: aktual, berbentuk, berupa, kasatmata, konkret, nyata, riil, sesungguhnya, sungguh

Related terms

Further reading

• “real” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Middle English

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Old French reel, from Late Latin reālis.

Alternative forms

• riall, realle, reale, ryall, reall

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈrɛːal/, /ˈriːal/

Adjective

real

1. (Late Middle English) real, true, factual
2. (Late Middle English, law) concerning possessions

Descendants

• English: real
• Scots: real

References

• “rēal, adj.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-09.

Etymology 2

Adjective

real

1. Alternative form of ryal

Noun

real

1. Alternative form of ryal

Adverb

real

1. Alternative form of ryal

Middle French

Adjective

real m (feminine singular reale, masculine plural reals, feminine plural reales)

1. Alternative form of royal

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Late Latin realis.

Adjective

real (masculine and feminine real, neuter realt, definite singular and plural reale)

1. actual, real

Derived terms

• realfag

Etymology 2

From Portuguese real, from Latin regalis.

Noun

real m (definite singular realen, indefinite plural realer, definite plural realene)

1. the real, monetary unit of Brazil

References

• “real” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

From Late Latin reālis, from Latin rēs (“thing”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²reː.ɑl/

Adjective

real (neuter realt, definite singular and plural reale)

1. actual, real
2. candid

Derived terms

• realfag

Etymology 2

From Spanish and Portuguese real, from Latin rēgālis (“royal”). Doublet of rijal.

Noun

real m (definite singular realen, indefinite plural realar, definite plural realane)

1. the real, monetary unit of Brazil
2. (historical) a real, one of the former units of currency and coins used in Spain, Portugal and their colonies

Etymology 3

Noun

real ?

1. (education, historical, colloquial) short for realskuleklasse

References

• “real” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
• “real”, in Norsk Ordbok: ordbok over det norske folkemålet og det nynorske skriftmålet, Oslo: Samlaget, 1950-2016

Anagrams

• erla, lera, lêra, rale, rela

Old French

Adjective

real m (oblique and nominative feminine singular real or reale)

1. royal; Alternative form of roial

Declension

Descendants

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈrɛ.al/
• Rhymes: -ɛal
• Syllabification: re‧al

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Spanish real, from Latin rēgālis.

Noun

real m inan

1. (historical) real (former unit of currency of Spain and Spain's colonies)

Declension

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Portuguese real, from Latin rēgālis.

Noun

real m inan

1. (historical) real (former unit of currency of Portugal and Brazil)
2. real (currency of Brazil)

Declension

Etymology 3

Borrowed from English (in) real (life).

Noun

real m inan

1. (Internet, slang) reality, real life, real world (physical reality as opposed to virtual reality)

Declension

Related terms

Further reading

• real in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• real in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
• Hyphenation: re‧al
• Homophones: Real, rial (Portugal), Rial (Portugal)

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Late Latin reālem (“actual”), from Latin rēs (“matter, thing”), from Proto-Indo-European *rēy- (“thing; possession”).

Adjective

real m or f (plural reais, comparable, comparative mais real, superlative o mais real or realíssimo)

1. true, real
2. that has physical existence; real
3. (mathematics, of a number) being a member of the set of real numbers; real

Derived terms

Related terms

Noun

real m (plural reais)

1. a real number

Noun

real f (uncountable)

1. (Brazil, colloquial) truth (conformity to fact or reality)

   Synonyms: verdade, realidade

Etymology 2

From Latin rēgālis (“royal”), from rēx (“king”) + -ālis, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs (“ruler, king”).

Adjective

real m or f (plural reais)

1. (relational) monarchy; royal; regal
2. having the air or demeanour of a monarch; regal

Related terms

Noun

real m (plural reais or réis)

1. a former currency of Portugal and its colonies

Noun

real m (plural reais)

1. a former Spanish currency
2. the current Brazilian currency

Further reading

• “real”, in iDicionário Aulete (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2024
• “real”, in Dicio – Dicionário Online de Português (in Portuguese), Porto: 7Graus, 2009–2024
• “real”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2024
• “real”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2024
• “real”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2024

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French réel, German real, both from Late Latin reālis (“real, actual”), from Latin rēs (“matter, thing”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [reˈal]

Adjective

real m or n (feminine singular reală, masculine plural reali, feminine and neuter plural reale)

1. real

   Antonym: nereal

Declension

Related terms

• realitate

See also

• adevărat

Further reading

• real in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)
• Romanian vocabulary. In: Haspelmath, M. & Tadmor, U. (eds.) World Loanword Database. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /reˈal/ [reˈal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: re‧al

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Late Latin reālis (“actual”), from Latin rēs (“matter, thing”).

Adjective

real m or f (masculine and feminine plural reales)

1. real

   Synonyms: verdadero, existente

   Antonym: irreal

Noun

real m (plural reales)

1. (colloquial) true friend, best friend

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Inherited from Latin rēgālis (“regal, royal”), from rēx. Cognate with English regal and royal.

Adjective

real m or f (masculine and feminine plural reales)

1. royal, regal

   Synonym: regio

   Antonym: plebeyo

Noun

real m (plural reales)

1. real (unit of currency)
2. (Spain, historical, colloquial) a quarter of a peseta

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

• → Arabic: ريال (riyāl)
  • Gulf Arabic: ريال (ryāl)
  • → Malagasy: ariary
    • → English: ariary
  • → Persian: ریال (riyâl)
  • → Swahili: riali
• → Irish: réal
• → Italian: reale
  • → Ottoman Turkish: ریال, اریال
    • Turkish: riyal

Further reading

• “real”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Swedish

Adjective

real (not comparable)

1. objective, real, pertaining to real and physical objects

Declension

Synonyms

• saklig

Noun

real c

1. Clipping of realskola.
2. Clipping of realskoleexamen.
3. real (currency of Brazil and formerly Portugal)

Declension

References

• real in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)

Anagrams

• lera

Tagalog

Alternative forms

• reyal

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ɾeˈal/ [ɾɛˈal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: re‧al

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Spanish real, from Late Latin reālis (“actual”), from Latin rēs (“matter, thing”).

Adjective

reál (Baybayin spelling ᜇᜒᜌᜎ᜔)

1. true; real; genuine

   Synonyms: tunay, totoo

2. main (of a street)

Related terms

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish real, from Latin rēgālis (“regal, royal”), from rēx.

Noun

reál (Baybayin spelling ᜇᜒᜌᜎ᜔)

1. real (unit of currency)

Adjective

reál (Baybayin spelling ᜇᜒᜌᜎ᜔)

1. royal (used in certain expressions)

Related terms

Further reading

• “real”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
• “real”, in Pinoy Dictionary, 2010–2024