Formal

//ˈfɔɹməl// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    In accordance with established forms.

    "She spoke formal English, without any dialect."

  2. 2
    Official.

    "I'd like to make a formal complaint."

  3. 3
    Relating to the form or structure of something.

    "Formal linguistics ignores the vocabulary of languages and focuses solely on their grammar."

  4. 4
    Relating to formation.

    "The formal stage is a critical part of any child's development."

  5. 5
    Ceremonial or traditional.

    "Formal wear must be worn at my wedding!"

Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    Proper, according to strict etiquette; not casual.

    "He's always very formal, and I wish he'd relax a bit."

  2. 7
    Organized; well-structured and planned.

    "When they became a formal club the rowers built a small boathouse."

  3. 8
    In accordance with a methodological framework with well-defined rules or laws; rigorous. especially

    "A set of words can be formal cognates only if they can be derived from a common ancestor by regular sound laws."

  4. 9
    Relating to mere manipulation and construction of strings of symbols, without regard to their meaning.

    "Formal series are defined without any reference to convergence."

Adjective
  1. 1
    refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court wordnet
  2. 2
    being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress) wordnet
  3. 3
    (of spoken and written language) adhering to traditional standards of correctness and without casual, contracted, and colloquial forms wordnet
  4. 4
    logically deductive wordnet
  5. 5
    characteristic of or befitting a person in authority wordnet
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    represented in simplified or symbolic form wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    An evening gown. countable, uncountable

    "Well, I open up the door / And much to my surprise / The girls were wearin' formals / And the boys were wearin' ties"

  2. 2
    Formalin. uncountable
  3. 3
    a gown for evening wear wordnet
  4. 4
    An event with a formal dress code. countable, uncountable

    "Jenny took Sam to her Year 12 formal."

  5. 5
    An acetal formed from formaldehyde. countable, uncountable
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    a lavish dance requiring formal attire wordnet
  2. 7
    A formal parameter. countable, uncountable
  3. 8
    Ellipsis of formal hall. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable

Etymology

Etymology 1

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

Etymology 2

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

Etymology 3

See formo-.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: formal