Vernacular: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Vernacular noun. The everyday language spoken by ordinary people in a particular place.
How to say it
vuh-NAK-yoo-luh/vəˈnakjʊlə/
4 syllables, stressed on the second (NAK).
Vernacular in a sentence
The poet wrote in the Scots vernacular rather than formal English.
In the vernacular of the office, a 'quick chat' means an hour-long meeting.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- dialect
- everyday speech
- idiom
- lingo
Opposite:
- formal language
Where vernacular comes from
From Latin vernaculus, domestic or native, from verna, a slave born in the household.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
In the _____ of the office, a 'quick chat' means an hour-long meeting.
- tmesis
- psittacism
- vernacular
Show the answer
vernacular: In the vernacular of the office, a 'quick chat' means an hour-long meeting.