Colloquial: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Colloquial adjective. Used in ordinary, informal conversation rather than formal speech or writing.
How to say it
kuh-LOH-kwee-ul/kəˈləʊkwɪəl/
4 syllables, stressed on the second (LOH).
Colloquial in a sentence
The translation swaps the original's colloquial jokes for stiff, formal English.
'Gobsmacked' is colloquial, so maybe leave it out of the job application.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- informal
- conversational
- everyday
- vernacular
Opposite:
- formal
- literary
Where colloquial comes from
From Latin colloquium, conversation.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
'Gobsmacked' is _____, so maybe leave it out of the job application.
- colloquial
- mellifluous
- grandiloquent
Show the answer
colloquial: 'Gobsmacked' is colloquial, so maybe leave it out of the job application.