casual

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/ UK /ˈkaʒ(uː)əl/ See IPA manual

Freq #6638

Meanings

1

adj
Relaxed and informal; not formal or smart.

The office has a casual dress code.
2

adj
Relaxed and not showing much worry or concern.

He gave a casual shrug as if it didn't matter.
3

adj
Happening by chance or without planning.

They only had casual meetings now and then.
4

adj
Not regular or permanent, especially of work.

She found some casual work over the summer.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · relaxed and informal; not... free-and-easydaily

2 adj · relaxed and not showing... nonchalant insouciant

3 adj · happening by chance or... chance accidental incidental

4 adj · not regular or permanent,... occasional

Word family

Forms casuals

Derived forms casualisationcasualismcasualistcasualizationcasualizecasuallycasualnesscasualtycasualweardecasualizehypercasualnoncasual

Related forms case casualty

Appears in

Phrases (4)

See all

casual clothes
informal, everyday clothing

Adjective + noun
casual wear
clothing suitable for informal or everyday occasions

Adjective + noun
casual conversation
informal, relaxed talk about everyday topics

Adjective + noun
casual sex
sexual activity outside of a committed relationship

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Casual dates from the late Middle English period and derives from Latin casus, “a fall,” the same source as case in the sense “an instance” or something that happens or befalls.

Etymology

From Middle French casuel, from Late Latin cāsuālis (“happening by chance”), from Latin cāsus (“event”) (English case), from cadere (“to fall”) (whence English cadence).

*ḱh₂d- Proto-Indo-European casuel Middle French cāsuālis la-lat

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Register & Style

External links

# casual

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkaʒ(uː)əl/
**Frequency rank:** 6638

## Meanings
1. Relaxed and informal; not formal or smart.
2. Relaxed and not showing much worry or concern.
3. Happening by chance or without planning.
4. Not regular or permanent, especially of work.

## Examples
- The office has a casual dress code.
- He gave a casual shrug as if it didn't matter.
- They only had casual meetings now and then.
- She found some casual work over the summer.

## Derived Forms
- casualisation
- casualism
- casualist
- casualization
- casualize
- casually
- casualness
- casualty
- casualwear
- decasualize
- hypercasual
- noncasual

## Related Forms
- case
- casualty

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ḱh₂d-
- Root: casuel
- Root: cāsuālis

## Etymology
From Middle French casuel, from Late Latin cāsuālis (“happening by chance”), from Latin cāsus (“event”) (English case), from cadere (“to fall”) (whence English cadence).

## AI Etymology
casual is an adjective. It is from Middle French casuel, from Late Latin cāsuālis (“happening by chance”), from Latin cāsus (“event”) (English case), from cadere (“to fall”) (whence English cadence). Historical forms in the chain include *ḱh₂d- (Proto-Indo-European), casuel (Middle French), and cāsuālis (Late Latin). Current senses include relaxed and informal; not formal or smart, relaxed and not showing much worry or concern, and happening by chance or without planning. Derived forms include casualisation, casualism, casualist, casualization, and casualize. Related words include case and casualty.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Register & Style

markdown