formal en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈfɔːməl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
- /ˈfɔɹməl/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle English formel, borrowed from Old French formel, from Latin fōrmālis, from fōrma (“form”); equivalent to form + -al.
Meanings
-
In accordance 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.
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.
1978, Heikki Seppä, Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths, [Kent, Oh.]: Kent State University Press, →ISBN, page 1:
-
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.
-
(especially) In accordance with a methodological framework with well-defined rules or laws; rigorous.
A set of words can be formal cognates only if they can be derived from a common ancestor by regular sound laws.
Only formal proofs, which derive theorems logically from their given axioms, are considered satisfactory in modern mathematics.
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 mere manipulation and construction of strings of symbols, without regard to their meaning.
Formal series are defined without any reference to convergence.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most formal | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more formal | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
formalish · omniformal · unformal · formal validity · formalesque · formality · formal fallacy · formal linguistics · nonformal · formal charge · formalism · non-formal learning · formal science · hyperformal · formally · formalization · formal power series · business formal · essive-formal · formal sum · formal language · formal series · formal heresy · microformal · formal cause · formalness · semiformal · pseudoformal · formalize · formal ontology · formal logic · ultraformal · formal sociology · formal semantics · formal mathematics · formal system · superformal · formalist · formal grammar · overformal · formalese · formal wear · formal equivalence · postformal · formalwear · formal education
Relateds
Translations (163)
sl formalen (being in accord with established forms) · it formale (relating to the form or structure of something) · nl formeel (being in accord with established forms) · gl oficial (official) · sh fòrmālan (relating to the form or structure of something) · de formal (being in accord with established forms) · de offiziell (official) · et ametlik (being in accord with established forms) · pl formalny (official) · tg расмӣ (official) · fi virallinen (official) · uk форма́льний (official) · cmn 正式 (official) · fi kaavamainen (being in accord with established forms) · mi ōkawa (being in accord with established forms) · az rəsmi (official) · ky ырасмый (official) · ko 형식적 (official) · es formal (relating to the form or structure of something) · de formal (mathematics, logic: relating to mere manipulations of symbols) · hu hivatalos (official) · ms formal (being in accord with established forms) · bg официа́лен (official) · ka ფორმალური (being in accord with established forms) · ja 正式な (official) · gl formal (being in accord with established forms) · mk форма́лен (relating to the form or structure of something) · hu formális (official) · fa-ira صوری (being in accord with established forms) · gl formal (relating to the form or structure of something) · mk официјален (official) · sq formal (being in accord with established forms) · sk oficiálny (official) · sk formálny (being in accord with established forms) · ca convencional (ceremonial) · de Form- (relating to the form or structure of something) · ru форма́льный (mathematics, logic: relating to mere manipulations of symbols) · tl maanyo (official) · ug رەسمىي (official) · fr formel (being in accord with established forms) · tr resmî (official) · da formel (being in accord with established forms) · ca solemne (ceremonial) · hi औपचारिक (relating to the form or structure of something) · pl formalny (being in accord with established forms) · af formeel (relating to the form or structure of something) · tr formel (official) · hu formális (mathematics, logic: relating to mere manipulations of symbols) · sh fòrmālan (being in accord with established forms) · pl oficjalny (official) · bg форма́лен (official) · he רִשְׁמִי (being in accord with established forms) · uk офіці́йний (official) · ru официа́льный (official) · ba рәсми (official) · hu formai (relating to the form or structure of something) · sv formell (being in accord with established forms) · af amptelik (official) · sh cȅremonijālan (ceremonial) · el τυπικός (ceremonial) · fi formaali (official) · pt formal (mathematics, logic: relating to mere manipulations of symbols) · tg сурӣ (being in accord with established forms) · dv ރަސްމީ (mathematics, logic: relating to mere manipulations of symbols) · he פוֹרְמָלִי (being in accord with established forms) · fi formaali (relating to the form or structure of something) · is formlegur (official) · nb formell (being in accord with established forms) · pt formal (being in accord with established forms) · es protocolario (ceremonial) · hi आधिकारिक (official) · be фарма́льны (official) · ro formal (official) · uz rasmiy (being in accord with established forms) · ru форма́льный (being in accord with established forms) · ja 形式的な (official) · ja 正式の (ceremonial) · ka ოფიციალური (official) · tl maanyo (being in accord with established forms) · ru церемониа́льный (ceremonial) · be офіцыя́льны (official) · ur رَسْمی (official) · ja 公式 (being in accord with established forms) · tg расмӣ (being in accord with established forms) · ro oficial (official) · uz rasmiy (official) · tr formel (relating to the form or structure of something) · ps رسمي (official) · cmn 正式 (being in accord with established forms) · uk офіціа́льний (official) · sk úradný (official) · el επίσημος (official) · dv ރަސްމީ (being in accord with established forms) · crh resmiy (being in accord with established forms) · fi muodollinen (relating to the form or structure of something) · tr şeklî (relating to the form or structure of something) · ja 正式 (being in accord with established forms) · ar رَسْمِيّ (being in accord with established forms) · be фарма́льны (being in accord with established forms) · mk форма́лен (being in accord with established forms) · bg форма́лен (mathematics, logic: relating to mere manipulations of symbols) · hi औपचारिक (being in accord with established forms) · sl formalen (official) · fr formel (relating to the form or structure of something) · mk церемонија́лен (ceremonial) · be афіцы́йны (official) · ky расмий (official) · nb høytidelig (ceremonial) · ckb پەتی (relating to the form or structure of something) · ka ფორმალური (official) · el μορφολογικός (relating to the form or structure of something) · pt formal (relating to the form or structure of something) · de formell (official) · ms formal (ceremonial) · pt formal (official) · af formeel (official) · de förmlich (official) · ca formal (relating to the form or structure of something) · ar صُورِيّ (being in accord with established forms) · uk форма́льний (being in accord with established forms) · fr officiel (official) · it formale (being in accord with established forms) · tr resmi (being in accord with established forms) · tr biçimsel (relating to the form or structure of something) · ca formal (being in accord with established forms) · hy պաշտոնական (being in accord with established forms) · sl uraden (official) · sh fòrmālan (official) · nl formeel (official) · hy պաշտոնական (official) · ar رَسْمِيّ (official) · ms formal (official) · is formlegur (being in accord with established forms) · sh slȕžben (official) · pt formal (ceremonial) · tk resmi (official) · ru форма́льный (official) · fi formaali (ceremonial) · mk формален (official) · kk ресми (official) · de formell (ceremonial) · el επίσημος (being in accord with established forms) · bg форма́лен (being in accord with established forms) · ms rasmi (official) · de förmlich (ceremonial) · cs oficiální (official) · ro formal (being in accord with established forms) · bg фо́рмен (relating to the form or structure of something) · af formeel (being in accord with established forms) · sh фо̀рма̄лан (being in accord with established forms) · fa-ira رَسْمی (official) · es formal (being in accord with established forms) · cs formální (being in accord with established forms) · fi formaali (being in accord with established forms) · de formell (being in accord with established forms) · bg церемониа́лен (ceremonial) · fi juhlallinen (ceremonial) · az rəsmi (being in accord with established forms) · hi औपचारिक (official) · fa-ira رَسْمی (being in accord with established forms) · hi आधिकारिक (relating to the form or structure of something) · tt рәсми (official) · fr soutenu (being in accord with established forms)