formal
English
Etymology
From Middle English formel, borrowed from Old French formel, from Latin formalis, from forma (“form”); see form.
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈfɔɹməl/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈfɔːməl/
- Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)məl
- Hyphenation: for‧mal
Audio (US) (file)
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.
- 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, Oh.]: 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
being in accord with established forms
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official
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relating to the form or structure of something
ceremonial
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mathematics, logic: relating to mere manipulations of symbols
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Noun
formal (countable and uncountable, plural formals)
- (uncountable) Formalin.
- An evening gown.
- An event with a formal dress code.
- Jenny took Sam to her Year 12 formal.
- (programming) A formal parameter.
Translations
formalin — see formalin
Further reading
- formal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- formal in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Catalan
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “formal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
Crimean Tatar
Galician
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /foɾˈmal/
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
- 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.
- 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:
- foundation, ruin
- mould for the production of tiles
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /foɾˈmal/
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “formal” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.
References
- “formal” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006-2012.
- “formal” in Xavier Varela Barreiro & Xavier Gómez Guinovart: Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval. SLI / Grupo TALG / ILG, 2006-2016.
- “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
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /fɔʁˈmaːl/
- Rhymes: -aːl
Audio (file)
Adjective
formal (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
Positive forms of formal
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist formal | sie ist formal | es ist formal | sie sind formal | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | formaler | formale | formales | formale |
genitive | formalen | formaler | formalen | formaler | |
dative | formalem | formaler | formalem | formalen | |
accusative | formalen | formale | formales | formale | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der formale | die formale | das formale | die formalen |
genitive | des formalen | der formalen | des formalen | der formalen | |
dative | dem formalen | der formalen | dem formalen | den formalen | |
accusative | den formalen | die formale | das formale | die formalen | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein formaler | eine formale | ein formales | (keine) formalen |
genitive | eines formalen | einer formalen | eines formalen | (keiner) formalen | |
dative | einem formalen | einer formalen | einem formalen | (keinen) formalen | |
accusative | einen formalen | eine formale | ein formales | (keine) formalen |
Comparative forms of formal
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist formaler | sie ist formaler | es ist formaler | sie sind formaler | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | formalerer | formalere | formaleres | formalere |
genitive | formaleren | formalerer | formaleren | formalerer | |
dative | formalerem | formalerer | formalerem | formaleren | |
accusative | formaleren | formalere | formaleres | formalere | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der formalere | die formalere | das formalere | die formaleren |
genitive | des formaleren | der formaleren | des formaleren | der formaleren | |
dative | dem formaleren | der formaleren | dem formaleren | den formaleren | |
accusative | den formaleren | die formalere | das formalere | die formaleren | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein formalerer | eine formalere | ein formaleres | (keine) formaleren |
genitive | eines formaleren | einer formaleren | eines formaleren | (keiner) formaleren | |
dative | einem formaleren | einer formaleren | einem formaleren | (keinen) formaleren | |
accusative | einen formaleren | eine formalere | ein formaleres | (keine) formaleren |
Superlative forms of formal
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist am formalsten | sie ist am formalsten | es ist am formalsten | sie sind am formalsten | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | formalster | formalste | formalstes | formalste |
genitive | formalsten | formalster | formalsten | formalster | |
dative | formalstem | formalster | formalstem | formalsten | |
accusative | formalsten | formalste | formalstes | formalste | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der formalste | die formalste | das formalste | die formalsten |
genitive | des formalsten | der formalsten | des formalsten | der formalsten | |
dative | dem formalsten | der formalsten | dem formalsten | den formalsten | |
accusative | den formalsten | die formalste | das formalste | die formalsten | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein formalster | eine formalste | ein formalstes | (keine) formalsten |
genitive | eines formalsten | einer formalsten | eines formalsten | (keiner) formalsten | |
dative | einem formalsten | einer formalsten | einem formalsten | (keinen) formalsten | |
accusative | einen formalsten | eine formalste | ein formalstes | (keine) formalsten |
Portuguese
Adjective
formal m or f (plural formais, comparable)
Further reading
- formal in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
Romanian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /forˈmal/
Adjective
formal m or n (feminine singular formală, masculine plural formali, feminine and neuter plural formale)
Declension
declension of formal
Spanish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /forˈmal/
- Hyphenation: for‧mal
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “formal” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.
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