colloquial

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /kəˈloʊ.kwi.əl/ UK /kəˈləʊ.kwɪəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #62534

Meanings

1

adj
Used in ordinary, informal conversation rather than formal speech or writing.

"Gonna" is a colloquial way of saying "going to."
2

noun
An informal word or expression used in everyday speech.

The dictionary marks some entries as colloquials.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · used in ordinary, informal... conversational informal

2 noun · an informal word or... colloquialism

More casual

Opposites

bookish formal literary professional

Word family

Derived forms colloquialesecolloquialisationcolloquialisecolloquialismcolloquialistcolloquialitycolloquializecolloquiallycolloquialnesssemicolloquialuncolloquial

Related forms argot colloquium colloquy slang vernacular

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

colloquial language
informal language typical of ordinary conversation

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin loquor Latin colloquor Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ium Latin colloquiumder. Middle English colloquies English colloquy Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English colloquial 1751, from earlier term colloquy (“a conversation”), from Latin colloquium (“conference, conversation”), from con- (“together…

colloquium Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Language & Linguistics Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# colloquial

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /kəˈloʊ.kwi.əl/
**IPA (UK):** /kəˈləʊ.kwɪəl/
**Frequency rank:** 62534

## Meanings
1. Used in ordinary, informal conversation rather than formal speech or writing.
2. An informal word or expression used in everyday speech.

## Examples
- "Gonna" is a colloquial way of saying "going to."
- The dictionary marks some entries as colloquials.

## Synonyms
- casual

## Antonyms
- bookish
- formal
- literary
- professional

## Derived Forms
- colloquialese
- colloquialisation
- colloquialise
- colloquialism
- colloquialist
- colloquiality
- colloquialize
- colloquially
- colloquialness
- semicolloquial
- uncolloquial

## Related Forms
- argot
- colloquium
- colloquy
- slang
- vernacular

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: colloquium

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin loquor Latin colloquor Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ium Latin colloquiumder. Middle English colloquies English colloquy Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English colloquial 1751, from earlier term colloquy (“a conversation”), from Latin colloquium (“conference, conversation”), from con- (“together…

## AI Etymology
Colloquial is traced through Proto-Indo-European *ḱe, Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm, Proto-Italic *kom, Proto-Italic *kom-, Latin con-, Old French -e, Latin -ālis, Middle English -al, English -al, English colloquial, and 1751, from earlier term colloquy (“a conversation”), from Latin colloquium (“conference, conversation”), from con- (“together… The historical chain records Proto-Indo-European *ḱe, Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm, Proto-Italic *kom, Proto-Italic *kom-, Latin con-, Old French -e, Latin -ālis, Middle English -al, English -al, English colloquial, and 1751, from earlier term colloquy (“a conversation”), from Latin colloquium (“conference, conversation”), from con- (“together…. Important recorded forms include colloquium (Latin). Current senses include used in ordinary, informal conversation rather than formal speech or writing and an informal word or expression used in everyday speech. The wider family includes derived forms such as colloquialese, colloquialisation, colloquialise, colloquialism, and colloquialist; related words such as argot, colloquium, colloquy, and slang.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Language & Linguistics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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