RE'AL, a. [Low L. realis. The L. res and Eng. thing coincide exactly with the Heb. a word, a thing, an event. See Read and Thing.]

1. Actually being or existing; not fictitious or imaginary; as, a description of real life. The author describes a real scene or transaction.
2. True; genuine; not artificial, counterfeit or factitious; as, real Madeira wine; real ginger.
3. True; genuine; not affected; not assumed. The woman appears in her real character.
4. Relating to things, not to persons; not personal. Many are perfect in men's humors, that are not greatly capable of the real part of business. [Little used or obsolete.] – Bacon.
5. In law, pertaining to things fixed, permanent or immovable, as to lands and tenements; as, real estate, opposed to personal or movable property. – Blackstone. Real action, in law, is an action which concerns real property. Real assets, assets consisting in real estate, or lands and tenements descending to an heir, sufficient to answer the charges upon the estate created by the ancestor. Chattels real, are such chattels as concern or savor of the realty; as a term for years of land, wardships in chivalry, the next presentation to a church, estate by statute-merchant, elegit, &c. Real composition, is when an agreement is made between the owner of lands and the parson or vicar, with consent of the ordinary, that such lands shall be discharged from payment of tithes, in consequence of other land or recompense given to the parson in lieu and satisfaction thereof. – Blackstone. Real presence, in the Romish Church, the actual presence of the body and blood of Christ in the eucharist, or the conversion of the substance of the bread and wine into the real body and blood of Christ. – Encyc.

A small Spanish coin of the value of forty maravedis; but its value is different in different provinces, being, from five or six to ten cents, or six pence sterling. It is sometimes written rial.

1. A small Spanish silver coin; also, a denomination of money of account, formerly the unit of the Spanish monetary system.
   
   

   * A real of plate (coin) varied in value according to the time of its coinage, from 12½ down to 10 cents, or from 6½ to 5 pence sterling. The real vellon, or money of account, was nearly equal to five cents, or 2½ pence sterling. In 1871 the coinage of Spain was assimilated to that of the Latin Union, of which the franc is the unit.

2. Royal; regal; kingly.
   
   
   [Obs.] "The blood real of Thebes." Chaucer.
3. Actually being or existing; not fictitious or imaginary; as, a description of real life.
   
   

   Whereat I waked, and found
   Before mine eyes all real, as the dream
   Had lively shadowed. Milton.

4. A realist.
   
   
   [Obs.] Burton.
5. True; genuine; not artificial, counterfeit, or factitious; often opposed to ostensible; as, the real reason; real Madeira wine; real ginger.
   
   

   Whose perfection far excelled
   Hers in all real dignity. Milton.

6. Relating to things, not to persons.
   
   
   [Obs.]

   Many are perfect in men's humors that are not greatly capable of the real part of business. Bacon.

7. Having an assignable arithmetical or numerical value or meaning; not imaginary.
8. Pertaining to things fixed, permanent, or immovable, as to lands and tenements; as, real property, in distinction from personal or movable property.
   
   

   Chattels real (Law), such chattels as are annexed to, or savor of, the realty, as terms for years of land. See Chattel. -- Real action (Law), an action for the recovery of real property. -- Real assets (Law), lands or real estate in the hands of the heir, chargeable with the debts of the ancestor. -- Real composition (Eccl. Law), an agreement made between the owner of lands and the parson or vicar, with consent of the ordinary, that such lands shall be discharged from payment of tithes, in consequence of other land or recompense given to the parson in lieu and satisfaction thereof. Blackstone. -- Real estate or property, lands, tenements, and hereditaments; freehold interests in landed property; property in houses and land. Kent. Burrill. -- Real presence (R. C. Ch.), the actual presence of the body and blood of Christ in the eucharist, or the conversion of the substance of the bread and wine into the real body and blood of Christ; transubstantiation. In other churches there is a belief in a form of real presence, not however in the sense of transubstantiation. -- Real servitude, called also Predial servitude (Civil Law), a burden imposed upon one estate in favor of another estate of another proprietor. Erskine. Bouvier.

   Syn. -- Actual; true; genuine; authentic. -- Real, Actual. Real represents a thing to be a substantive existence; as, a real, not imaginary, occurrence. Actual refers to it as acted or performed; and, hence, when we wish to prove a thing real, we often say, "It actually exists," "It has actually been done." Thus its reality is shown by its actuality. Actual, from this reference to being acted, has recently received a new signification, namely, present; as, the actual posture of affairs; since what is now in action, or going on, has, of course, a present existence. An actual fact; a real sentiment.

   For he that but conceives a crime in thought,
   Contracts the danger of an actual fault. Dryden.

   Our simple ideas are all real; all agree to the reality of things. Locke.