English Explanatory Dictionary

formal

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. In accordance with established forms.
  2. Official.
  3. Relating to the form or structure of something.
  4. Relating to formation.
  5. Ceremonial or traditional.
  6. Proper, according to strict etiquette; not casual.
  7. Organized; well-structured and planned.
  8. In accordance with a methodological framework with well-defined rules or laws; rigorous.
  9. Relating to mere manipulation and construction of strings of symbols, without regard to their meaning.
noun
  1. An evening gown.
  2. An event with a formal dress code.
  3. A formal parameter.
  4. Ellipsis of formal hall.
noun
  1. Formalin.
  2. An acetal formed from formaldehyde.

Pronunciation

/ˈfɔɹməl/ /ˈfɔːməl/ en-us-formal.ogg

Word forms

formal more formal most formal formals

Etymology

From Middle English formel, borrowed from Old French formel, from Latin fōrmālis, from fōrma (“form”); equivalent to form + -al.

Antonyms

informal

Related words

form hemiformal

Derived words

business formal essive-formal formal cause formal charge formal education formal equivalence formalese formalesque formal fallacy formal grammar formal heresy formalish formalism formalist formality formalization formalize formal language formal linguistics formal logic formally formal mathematics formalness formal ontology formal power series formal science formal semantics formal series formal sociology formal sum formal system formal validity formal wear formalwear hyperformal microformal nonformal non-formal learning omniformal overformal postformal pseudoformal semiformal superformal ultraformal unformal formal swap
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