re·al¹ / ˈrē(ə)l/ • adj. 1. actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact; not imagined or supposed: Julius Caesar was a real person a story drawing on real events her many illnesses, real and imaginary. ∎  used to emphasize the significance or seriousness of a situation or circumstance: there is a real danger of civil war the competitive threat from overseas is very real. ∎  Philos. relating to something as it is, not merely as it may be described or distinguished.2. (of a substance or thing) not imitation or artificial; genuine: the earring was presumably real gold. ∎  true or actual: his real name is James this isn't my real reason for coming. ∎  (of a person or thing) rightly so called; proper: he's my idea of a real man Jamie is my only real friend.3. inf. complete; utter (used for emphasis): the tour turned out to be a real disaster.4. adjusted for changes in the value of money; assessed by purchasing power: real incomes had fallen by 30 percent an increase in real terms of 11.6 percent.5. Math. (of a number or quantity) having no imaginary part. See imaginary.6. Optics (of an image) of a kind in which the light that forms it actually passes through it; not virtual.• adv. inf. really; very: my head hurts real bad.PHRASES: for real inf. used to assert that something is genuine or is actually the case: I'm not playing games—this is for real! ∎  used in questions to express surprise or to question the truth or seriousness of what one has seen or heard: are these guys for real?get real! inf. used to convey that an idea or statement is foolish or overly idealistic: You want teens to have committed sexual relationships? Get real!real live humorous used to emphasize the existence of something, esp. if it is surprising or unusual: a real live detective had been at the factory.real money inf. money in a large or significant amount.the real thing inf. a thing that is absolutely genuine or authentic: you've never been in love before, so how can you be sure this is the real thing?DERIVATIVES: real·ness n.re·al² / rāˈäl/ • n. (pl. re·als or reis / rāsh; rās/ ) the basic monetary unit of Brazil since 1994, equal to 100 centavos. ∎  (pl. re·a·les / rāˈäles/ or re·als) a former coin and monetary unit of various Spanish-speaking countries.

real1 (orig. leg.) pert. to things (as dist. from persons) XV; actually existing or present; that is truly what its name implies XVI. orig. — AN. real = (O)F. réel; later — its source, late L. reālis, f. rēs thing; see -AL1.
So reality XVI. — (O)F. or medL. realize, realization XVII. — F. Hence realism XIX, realist XVII, really (-LY2) XV.

real. Term used in certain special senses as opposite to tonal, e.g. in fugue real answer is when the answer exactly reproduces the subject (except for a 5th displaced), the fugue being a real fugue. In sequence, if the intervals within a sequence are unaltered, the result is called a real sequence.

real the real McCoy the real thing, the genuine article; it is suggested that this originated from the phrase the real Mackay, an advertising slogan used by G. Mackay and Co, whisky distillers in Edinburgh in 1870. The form McCoy appears to be of US origin.
real presence in Christian theology, the actual presence of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharistic elements.

REAL

Incivil law, relating to a thing (whether movable or immovable), as distinguished from a person. Relating to land, as distinguished frompersonal property. This term is applied to lands, tenements, and hereditaments.