1. of, relating to, or involving a literal or word-for-word translation; characterized by close adherence to the original text rather than free interpretation
Usage: formal; chiefly used in linguistics and translation studies

Examples

• The translator took a metaphrastic approach, rendering each phrase as closely as possible to the original.
• A metaphrastic translation preserves the exact structure and vocabulary of the source language.
• Unlike paraphrastic methods, metaphrastic translation prioritizes fidelity over readability.
• The scholar criticized the metaphrastic style for producing awkward, unnatural English.
• Medieval biblical translations were often metaphrastic, aiming for word-for-word accuracy.