Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [kuh-loh-kwee-uh l]
- /kəˈloʊ kwi əl/
- /kəˈləʊ.kwi.əl/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [kuh-loh-kwee-uh l]
- /kəˈloʊ kwi əl/
Definitions of colloquial word
- adjective colloquial of or relating to conversation 2
- adjective colloquial denoting or characterized by informal or conversational idiom or vocabulary 2
- adjective colloquial having to do with or like conversation; conversational 2
- adjective colloquial informal (sense e) 2
- adjective colloquial involving or using conversation. 1
- noun colloquial (of language) Used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of colloquial
First appearance:
before 1745 One of the 47% newest English words
First recorded in 1745-55; colloquy + -al1
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Colloquial
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
colloquial popularity
A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 69% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
colloquial usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for colloquial
adj colloquial
- conversational — Conversational means relating to, or similar to, casual and informal talk.
- vernacular — (of language) native or indigenous (opposed to literary or learned).
- chatty — Someone who is chatty talks a lot in a friendly, informal way.
- common — If something is common, it is found in large numbers or it happens often.
- dialectal — of a dialect.
adjective colloquial
- informal — without formality or ceremony; casual: an informal visit.
- spoken — a past participle of speak.
- slang — a specialized dictionary covering the words, phrases, and idioms that reflect the least formal speech of a language. These terms are often metaphorical and playful, and are likely to be evanescent as the spoken language changes from one generation to another. Much slang belongs to specific groups, as the jargon of a particular class, profession, or age group. Some is vulgar. Some slang terms have staying power as slang, but others make a transition into common informal speech, and then into the standard language. An online slang dictionary, such as the Dictionary.com Slang Dictionary, provides immediate information about the meaning and history of a queried term and its appropriateness or lack of appropriateness in a range of social and professional circumstances.
- particular — of or relating to a single or specific person, thing, group, class, occasion, etc., rather than to others or all; special rather than general: one's particular interests in books.
Antonyms for colloquial
adj colloquial
- standard — something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.
- stilted — stiffly dignified or formal, as speech or literary style; pompous.
- correct — If something is correct, it is in accordance with the facts and has no mistakes.
- formal — being in accordance with the usual requirements, customs, etc.; conventional: to pay one's formal respects.
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See also
Matching words
- Words starting with c
- Words starting with co
- Words starting with col
- Words starting with coll
- Words starting with collo
- Words starting with colloq
- Words starting with colloqu
- Words starting with colloqui
- Words starting with colloquia
- Words starting with colloquial