What does formal mean?
Definitions for formal
ˈfɔr məlfor·mal
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word formal.
Princeton's WordNet
ball, formal(noun)
a lavish dance requiring formal attire
dinner dress, dinner gown, formal, evening gown(adj)
a gown for evening wear
formal(adj)
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"
formal(adj)
characteristic of or befitting a person in authority
"formal duties"; "an official banquet"
formal(adj)
(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"
conventional, formal, schematic(adj)
represented in simplified or symbolic form
formal(adj)
logically deductive
"formal proof"
courtly, formal, stately(adj)
refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court
"a courtly gentleman"
Wiktionary
formal(Noun)
formalin
formal(Noun)
an evening gown
formal(Noun)
an event with a formal dress code
Jenny took Sam to her Year 12 formal.
formal(Adjective)
being in accord with established forms
formal(Adjective)
official
formal(Adjective)
relating to the form or structure of something
formal(Adjective)
ceremonial
formal(Adjective)
Organized; well-structured and planned.
Origin: From formel, from formel, from formalis, from forma; see form.
Webster Dictionary
Formal(noun)
see Methylal
Formal(adj)
belonging to the form, shape, frame, external appearance, or organization of a thing
Formal(adj)
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
Formal(adj)
done in due form, or with solemnity; according to regular method; not incidental, sudden or irregular; express; as, he gave his formal consent
Formal(adj)
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
Formal(adj)
having the form or appearance without the substance or essence; external; as, formal duty; formal worship; formal courtesy, etc
Formal(adj)
dependent in form; conventional
Formal(adj)
sound; normal
Origin: [L. formic + alcohol.]
Freebase
Formal
Formal Hall or Formal Meal is the meal held at some of the oldest, universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland at which students dress in formal attire and often gowns to dine. These are held commonly in the colleges of, for examples, Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, Durham and St Andrews, as well as the University of London, the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, and Trinity College, Toronto. In a number of red brick universities, some halls such as those in at Manchester, Bristol and Exeter also practise similar traditions in order to increase interaction between academics and students, and to enrich the students' overall learning experience. The nature of Formals varies widely between the colleges and halls that hold them. In some colleges, Formals may be held every night, and are simply a second sitting of hall at which gowns are worn and grace is read. In other colleges, Formals may be special events to which guests from outside the college are frequently invited, often with themes and associated ents or "bops". In between these two extremes fall the great majority of colleges.
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'formal' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1597
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'formal' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2780
Adjectives Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'formal' in Adjectives Frequency: #199
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of formal in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of formal in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2
Examples of formal in a Sentence
We'll see in the next few days if there are any formal bids.
I would say something formal, like, we don't discuss our acquisition plans.
Formal education will earn you a living, self-education make you a fortune.
I need a formal order to act, i do not interpret (tweets) as a formal order.
Formal education will make you a living self-education will make you a fortune.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for formal
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- رسميArabic
- рәсмиBashkir
- формен, церемониален, формален, официаленBulgarian
- solemne, convencional, formalCatalan, Valencian
- formálníCzech
- formelDanish
- formell, formal, förmlich, offiziell, Form-German
- επίσημοςGreek
- formalSpanish
- صوریPersian
- kaavamainen, muodollinen, formaali, virallinen, juhlallinenFinnish
- formelFrench
- formális, formai, hivatalosHungarian
- formaleItalian
- רשמיHebrew
- 正式, 公式Japanese
- پهتیKurdish
- ōkawaMāori
- formalPortuguese
- formal, oficialRomanian
- формальный, официальныйRussian
- cȅremonijālan, fòrmālan, slȕžbenSerbo-Croatian
- formellSwedish
- முறையானTamil
- เป็นทางการThai
- chính thứcVietnamese
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"formal." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2019. Web. 11 Dec. 2019. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/formal>.