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English
Etymology 1
From Middle English formel, borrowed from Old French formel, from Latin fōrmālis, from fōrma (“form”); see form.
Pronunciation
Adjective
formal (comparative more formal, superlative most formal)
- Being in accord with established forms.
She spoke formal English, without any dialect.
- Official.
I'd like to make a formal complaint.
Despite efforts by limnologists and freshwater biologists to create a formal definition of “pond”, there is still no universal distinction between a “pond” and a “lake.”
- Relating to the form or structure of something.
Formal linguistics ignores the vocabulary of languages and focuses solely on their grammar.
1978, Heikki Seppä, Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths, : Kent State University Press, →ISBN, page 1:THE THREE DOMINANT FORMS IN METALSMITHING […] At present, there are but three basic volumetric forms dominating the work of metalsmiths, the spherical (usually in its most practical form, the domical), the cylindrical, and the cubical. […] The possibilities for further variations on them are all but exhausted, there being little chance to express new and unusual ideas within the framework of such limited choices. As a result, much of twentieth-century metalsmithing has relied on surface enrichment rather than formal development for its originality.
- Relating to formation.
The formal stage is a critical part of any child's development.
- Ceremonial or traditional.
Formal wear must be worn at my wedding!
- Proper, according to strict etiquette; not casual.
He's always very formal, and I wish he'd relax a bit.
- Organized; well-structured and planned.
When they became a formal club the rowers built a small boathouse.
- (mathematics) Relating to mere manipulation and construction of strings of symbols, without regard to their meaning.
Formal series are defined without any reference to convergence.
Antonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
official
- Afrikaans: formeel, amptelik (af)
- Arabic: رَسْمِيّ (ar) (rasmiyy)
- Bashkir: рәсми (rəsmi)
- Belarusian: афіцы́йны (be) (aficýjny), офіцыя́льны (oficyjálʹny), фарма́льны (farmálʹny)
- Bulgarian: официален (bg) (oficialen)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 正式 (zh) (zhèngshì)
- Dutch: formeel (nl)
- Finnish: virallinen (fi), formaali (fi)
- French: officiel (fr)
- Galician: oficial (gl) m or f
- Georgian: ოფიციალური (opicialuri), ფორმალური (pormaluri)
- German: förmlich (de), formell (de), offiziell (de)
- Greek: επίσημος (el) m (epísimos)
- Hungarian: hivatalos (hu), formális (hu)
- Icelandic: formlegur (is)
- Macedonian: официјален m (oficijalen)
- Polish: oficjalny (pl), formalny (pl)
- Portuguese: formal (pt)
- Romanian: oficial (ro) m or n, formal (ro) m or n
- Russian: официа́льный (ru) (oficiálʹnyj), форма́льный (ru) (formálʹnyj)
- Serbo-Croatian: fòrmālan (sh), slȕžben (sh)
- Tagalog: maanyo
- Turkish: formel (tr), resmî (tr)
- Ukrainian: офіці́йний (oficíjnyj), офіціа́льний (oficiálʹnyj), форма́льний (uk) (formálʹnyj)
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mathematics, logic: relating to mere manipulations of symbols
Translations to be checked
Noun
formal (countable and uncountable, plural formals)
- (clothing) An evening gown.
1965, Shadow Morton (lyrics and music), “Sophisticated Boom Boom”, performed by The Shangri-Las:Well, I open up the door / And much to my surprise / The girls were wearin' formals / And the boys were wearin' ties
- An event with a formal dress code.
Jenny took Sam to her Year 12 formal.
- (programming) A formal parameter.
- (Oxbridge slang) Ellipsis of formal hall..
Derived terms
Etymology 2
See formo-.
Noun
formal (countable and uncountable, plural formals)
- (uncountable) Formalin.
- An acetal formed from formaldehyde.
Related terms
Translations
Further reading
- “formal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “formal”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams
Catalan
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin fōrmālis.
Pronunciation
Adjective
formal m or f (masculine and feminine plural formals)
- formal
- Antonym: informal
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
Crimean Tatar
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin formalis, from forma (“form”).
Adjective
formal
- formal
References
- Mirjejev, V. A., Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN
Galician
Etymology 1
Inherited from Latin formalis.
Pronunciation
Noun
formal m (plural formais)
- site, plot
- 1290, M. Lucas Álvarez P. Lucas Domínguez (eds.), El monasterio de San Clodio do Ribeiro en la Edad Media: estudio y documentos. Sada / A Coruña: Edicións do Castro, page 415:
damos a uos que tenades de nos essa cassa en que uos ora morades en Eyres, con seu saydo et con todo o formal dessa casa, asi como esta çerrada de muro ao tenpo da era desta carta.- we give you, for you to have, that house where you now dwell in Eires, with its garden and with the whole plot of that house, as it is enclosed with a wall at the time of this charter
- Synonym: sesego
- foundation, ruin
- mould for the production of tiles
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Latin formalis.
Pronunciation
Adjective
formal m or f (plural formais)
- formal
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
References
- “formal” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006–2022.
- “formal” in Xavier Varela Barreiro & Xavier Gómez Guinovart: Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval. SLI / Grupo TALG / ILG, 2006–2018.
- “formal” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
- “formal” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
- “formal” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.
German
Etymology
Form + -al
Pronunciation
Adjective
formal (strong nominative masculine singular formaler, comparative formaler, superlative am formalsten)
- formal (being in accord with established forms)
Usage notes
Not to be confused with formell.
The adjectives formell and informell express the presence or absence of ceremonies: ein informelles Treffen is a meeting in a near-private context.
The adjective formal stresses the outward appearance (pro forma) as opposed to the content or the spirit.
Declension
Comparative forms of formal
Superlative forms of formal
Further reading
- “formal” in Duden online
- “formal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Indonesian
Adjective
formal (first-person possessive formalku, second-person possessive formalmu, third-person possessive formalnya)
- formal
Alternative forms
Piedmontese
Etymology
From Latin formalis.
Pronunciation
Adjective
formal
- formal
Portuguese
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin fōrmālis. By surface analysis, forma + -al.
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -al, -aw
- Hyphenation: for‧mal
Adjective
formal m or f (plural formais)
- formal (being in accord with established forms)
- formal (official)
- formal (relating to the form or structure of something)
- formal (ceremonial)
- (logic) formal (involving mere manipulations of symbols)
Derived terms
Further reading
- “formal” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French formel, Latin formalis.
Pronunciation
Adjective
formal m or n (feminine singular formală, masculine plural formali, feminine and neuter plural formale)
- formal
Declension
Related terms
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin formālis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /foɾˈmal/
- Rhymes: -al
- Syllabification: for‧mal
Adjective
formal m or f (masculine and feminine plural formales)
- formal
- reliable, dependable
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading