# formal
## English
### Etymology 1

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

#### Pronunciation

* (General American) IPA: /ˈfɔɹməl/
* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /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.
    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, 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.
* (especially sciences, mathematics, linguistics) 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.
* (mathematics, philosophy) 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

* informal

##### Derived terms

* essive-formal
* formal cause
* formal charge
* formal education
* formal equivalence
* formalese
* formalesque
* formal fallacy
* formal grammar
* formal heresy
* formalish
* formalism
* formalist
* formality
* formalization
* formalize
* formal language
* formal linguistics
* formal logic
* formally
* formal mathematics
* formalness
* formal ontology
* formal power series
* formal science
* formal semantics
* formal series
* formal sociology
* formal sum
* formal system
* formal validity
* formal wear
* formalwear
* hyperformal
* microformal
* nonformal
* non-formal learning
* omniformal
* overformal
* postformal
* pseudoformal
* semiformal
* superformal
* ultraformal
* unformal

##### Related terms

* form

##### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

#### 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

* formal swap

### Etymology 2

See formo-.

#### Noun

formal (countable and uncountable, plural formals)
* (uncountable) Formalin.
* An acetal formed from formaldehyde.

##### Related terms

* hemiformal

##### 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

* Folmar

## Catalan
### Etymology

Borrowed from Latin fōrmālis.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: (Central) [furˈmal]
* IPA: (Balearic) [forˈmal]
* IPA: (Valencia) [foɾˈmal]
* Audio:(file)

### Adjective

formal m or f (masculine and feminine plural formals)
* formal
    Antonym: informal

#### Derived terms

* formalitzar
* formalment
* informal

#### Related terms

* forma
* formalitat

### Further reading

* “formal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
* “formal”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
* “formal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
* “formal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

## 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

* IPA: /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
    Synonym: sesego
* foundation, ruin
* mould for the production of tiles

### Etymology 2

Learned borrowing from Latin formalis.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /foɾˈmal/

#### Adjective

formal m or f (plural formais)
* formal

##### Derived terms

* formalmente

##### Related terms

* forma
* formalidade
* informal

##### Further reading

* “formal”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

### References

* Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “formal”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
* Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “formal”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
* Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “formal”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
* Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “formal”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
* Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “formal”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

## German
### Etymology

Form +‎ -al

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /fɔʁˈmaːl/
* Rhymes: -aːl
* Audio:(file)

### 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
### Further reading

* “formal” in Duden online
* “formal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

## Indonesian
### Adjective

formal (plural formal-formal)
* formal

#### Alternative forms

* formil

## Malay
### Etymology

From English formal, from Middle English formel, from Old French formel, from Latin fōrmālis, from fōrma (“form”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [fɔ(r).məl], [fo(r).mal]
* Rhymes: -əl, -al
* Hyphenation: for‧mal

### Adjective

formal (Jawi spelling فورمل)
* Formal:
    Antonym: informal
** Being in accord with established forms.
** Official.
    Synonym: rasmi
** Ceremonial or traditional.
** Proper, according to strict etiquette; not casual.
    Antonym: kasual

#### Affixations

* formalkan
* keformalan
* pemformalan

### Further reading

* “formal” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

## Piedmontese
### Etymology

From Latin formalis.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /furˈmal/
* Rhymes: -al

### Adjective

formal
* formal

## Portuguese
### Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin fōrmālis. By surface analysis, forma +‎ -al.

### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /foʁˈmaw/ [foɦˈmaʊ̯]
* (Brazil) IPA: /foʁˈmaw/ [foɦˈmaʊ̯]
** (São Paulo) IPA: /foɾˈmaw/ [foɾˈmaʊ̯]
** (Rio de Janeiro) IPA: /foʁˈmaw/ [foʁˈmaʊ̯]
** (Southern Brazil) IPA: /foɻˈmaw/ [foɻˈmaʊ̯]
* (Portugal) IPA: /fuɾˈmal/ [fuɾˈmaɫ]
* (Portugal) IPA: /fuɾˈmal/ [fuɾˈmaɫ]
** (Southern Portugal) IPA: /fuɾˈma.li/
* Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -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

* formalmente

#### 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

* IPA: /forˈmal/

### Adjective

formal m or n (feminine singular formală, masculine plural formali, feminine and neuter plural formale)
* formal

#### Related terms

* formalitate

## Spanish
### Etymology

Borrowed from Latin formālis.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /foɾˈmal/ [foɾˈmal]
* Rhymes: -al
* Syllabification: for‧mal

### Adjective

formal m or f (masculine and feminine plural formales)
* formal
* reliable, dependable

#### Derived terms

* falacia formal
* feo, fuerte, y formal
* formalidad
* formalismo
* formalista
* formalización
* formalizar
* formalmente

#### Related terms

* forma
* informal
** informalidad
** informalmente

#### Further reading

* “formal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10