Definitions of formal [ˈfɔr məl]

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Definition of 'formal'

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

1. (adj.) formal
being in accordance with the usual requirements, customs, etc.; conventional:
to pay one's formal respects.

2.  formal
marked by form or ceremony:
a formal occasion.

3.  formal
designed for wear or use at elaborate ceremonial or social events:
The invitation specified formal attire.

4.  formal
requiring dress suitable for elaborate social events:
a formal dance.

5.  formal
observant of conventional requirements of behavior, procedure, etc., as persons; punctilious.

6.  formal
excessively ceremonious; prim; decorous.

7.  formal
being a matter of form only; perfunctory:
formal courtesy.

8.  formal
made or done in accordance with procedures that ensure validity:
a formal authorization.

9.  formal
of, pertaining to, or emphasizing the organization or composition of the constituent elements in a work of art perceived separately from its subject matter:
the formal structure of a poem.

10.  formal
acquired in school; academic.

11.  formal
symmetrical or highly organized:
a formal garden.

12.  formal
of or pertaining to language use typical of impersonal and official situations, characterized by adherence to traditional standards of correctness, often complex vocabulary and syntax, and the avoidance of contractions and colloquial expressions.

13.  formal
pertaining to the form, shape, or mode of a thing, esp. as distinguished from the substance:
formal writing.

14.  formal
being such merely in appearance or name; nominal:
a formal head of state.

15.  formal
Math.

16.  formal
(of a proof) in strict logical form with a justification for every step.

17.  formal
(of a calculation) correct in form; made with strict justification for every step.

18. (n.) formal
a dance or ball that requires formal attire.

19.  formal
an evening gown.

20. (adv.) formal
in formal attire.

Etymology: (1350–1400; ME < L)

Definition of 'formal'

Princeton's WordNet

1. (noun) ball, formal
a lavish dance requiring formal attire

2. (adj) dinner dress, dinner gown, formal, evening gown
a gown for evening wear

3. (adj) formal
being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress)
"pay one's formal respects"; "formal dress"; "a formal ball"; "the requirement was only formal and often ignored"; "a formal education"

4. (adj) formal
characteristic of or befitting a person in authority
"formal duties"; "an official banquet"

5. (adj) formal
(of spoken and written language) adhering to traditional standards of correctness and without casual, contracted, and colloquial forms
"the paper was written in formal English"

6. (adj) conventional, formal, schematic
represented in simplified or symbolic form

7. (adj) formal
logically deductive
"formal proof"

8. (adj) courtly, formal, stately
refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court
"a courtly gentleman"

Definition of 'formal'

Kernerman English Learner’s Dictionary

1. (adjective) formal
≠ informal
a formal complaint; formal methods

2. formal
≠ informal
formal language; a formal occasion

Definition of 'formal'

Webster Dictionary

1. (adj) formal
belonging to the form, shape, frame, external appearance, or organization of a thing

2. (adj) formal
belonging to the constitution of a thing, as distinguished from the matter composing it; having the power of making a thing what it is; constituent; essential; pertaining to or depending on the forms, so called, of the human intellect

3. (adj) formal
done in due form, or with solemnity; according to regular method; not incidental, sudden or irregular; express; as, he gave his formal consent

4. (adj) formal
devoted to, or done in accordance with, forms or rules; punctilious; regular; orderly; methodical; of a prescribed form; exact; prim; stiff; ceremonious; as, a man formal in his dress, his gait, his conversation

5. (adj) formal
having the form or appearance without the substance or essence; external; as, formal duty; formal worship; formal courtesy, etc

6. (adj) formal
dependent in form; conventional

7. (adj) formal
sound; normal

8. (noun) formal
see Methylal

Translation of 'formal'

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

Sense: done etc according to a fixed and accepted way a formal letter.
Afrikaans: formeel	Arabic: رَسْمي	Bulgarian: редовен
Brazilian: formal	Czech: formální	German: förmlich
Danish: formel; korrekt	Greek: τυπικός, σύμφωνος με τους	Spanish: formal, oficial
Estonian: ametlik, vormiline	Farsi: رسمی	Finnish: muodollinen
French: officiel	Hebrew: רִשמִי	Hindi: औपचारिक
Croatian: formalan, služben	Hungarian: előírásos, formális	Indonesian: resmi
Icelandic: formlegur	Italian: formale	Japanese: 型どおりの
Korean: 정식의	Lithuanian: oficialus	Latvian: formāls; oficiāls
Malay: rasmi	Dutch: formeel	Norwegian: formell, høytidelig
Polish: oficjalny, urzędowy	Persian: رسمی	Pashto: رسمی
Portuguese: formal	Romanian: formal, oficial	Russian: официальный
Slovak: formálny	Slovenian: uraden	Serbian: formalan
Swedish: formell	Thai: ตามธรรมเนียมปฏิบัติ	Turkish: resmî
Taiwanese: 正式的	Ukrainian: формальний	Urdu: روایتی انداز میں کیا گیا
Vietnamese: trang trọng; theo nghi th	Chinese: 正式的
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