formal

See also: formál and formål

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English formel, borrowed from Old French formel, from Latin fōrmālis, from fōrma (“form”); equivalent to form +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɹməl/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔːməl/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)məl
• Hyphenation: for‧mal

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

formal (comparative more formal, superlative most formal)

1. In accordance with established forms.

   She spoke formal English, without any dialect.

2. Official.

   I'd like to make a formal complaint.

3. Relating to the form or structure of something.

   Formal linguistics ignores the vocabulary of languages and focuses solely on their grammar.

   • 1978, Heikki Seppä, Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths, [Kent, Oh.]: Kent State University Press, →ISBN, page 1:

     THE THREE DOMINANT FORMS IN METALSMITHING […] At present, there are but three basic volumetric forms dominating the work of metalsmiths, the spherical (usually in its most practical form, the domical), the cylindrical, and the cubical. […] The possibilities for further variations on them are all but exhausted, there being little chance to express new and unusual ideas within the framework of such limited choices. As a result, much of twentieth-century metalsmithing has relied on surface enrichment rather than formal development for its originality.

4. Relating to formation.

   The formal stage is a critical part of any child's development.

5. Ceremonial or traditional.

   Formal wear must be worn at my wedding!

6. Proper, according to strict etiquette; not casual.

   He's always very formal, and I wish he'd relax a bit.

7. Organized; well-structured and planned.

   When they became a formal club the rowers built a small boathouse.

8. (especially sciences, mathematics, linguistics) In accordance with a methodological framework with well-defined rules or laws; rigorous.

   Despite efforts by limnologists and freshwater biologists to create a formal definition of “pond”, there is still no universal distinction between a “pond” and a “lake”.

   Only formal proofs, which derive theorems logically from their given axioms, are considered satisfactory in modern mathematics.

   A set of words can be formal cognates only if they can be derived from a common ancestor by regular sound laws.

9. (mathematics, philosophy) Relating to mere manipulation and construction of strings of symbols, without regard to their meaning.

   Formal series are defined without any reference to convergence.

Antonyms

• informal

Derived terms

• business formal
• essive-formal
• formal cause
• formal charge
• formal education
• formal equivalence
• formalese
• formalesque
• formal fallacy
• formal grammar
• formal heresy
• formalish
• formalism
• formalist
• formality
• formalization
• formalize
• formal language
• formal linguistics
• formal logic
• formally
• formal mathematics
• formalness
• formal ontology
• formal power series
• formal science
• formal semantics
• formal series
• formal sociology
• formal sum
• formal system
• formal validity
• formal wear
• formalwear
• hyperformal
• microformal
• nonformal
• non-formal learning
• omniformal
• overformal
• postformal
• pseudoformal
• semiformal
• superformal
• ultraformal
• unformal

Related terms

• form

Translations

being in accord with established forms

• Afrikaans: formeel
• Albanian: formal (sq)
• Arabic: رَسْمِيّ (ar) (rasmiyy), صُورِيّ (ṣūriyy)
• Armenian: պաշտոնական (hy) (paštonakan)
• Azerbaijani: rəsmi (az)
• Belarusian: фарма́льны (farmálʹny)
• Bulgarian: форма́лен (bg) (formálen)
• Catalan: formal (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 正式 (zh) (zhèngshì)

• Crimean Tatar: resmiy
• Czech: formální (cs)
• Danish: formel
• Dhivehi: ރަސްމީ (dv) (rasmī)
• Dutch: formeel (nl)
• Estonian: ametlik (et)
• Finnish: kaavamainen (fi), formaali (fi)
• French: formel (fr), soutenu (fr)
• Galician: formal (gl)
• Georgian: ფორმალური (pormaluri)
• German: formal (de), formell (de)
• Greek: επίσημος (el) (epísimos)
• Hebrew: פוֹרְמָלִי (formalí), רִשְׁמִי (he) (rishmí)
• Hindi: औपचारिक (hi) (aupcārik)
• Icelandic: formlegur (is)
• Italian: formale (it)
• Japanese: 正式 (ja) (せいしき, seishiki), 公式 (ja) (こうしき, kōshiki)
• Macedonian: форма́лен (formálen)
• Malay: formal
• Māori: ōkawa
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: formell (no)

• Persian:

  Iranian Persian: صوری (fa) (suri), رَسْمی (rasmi)

• Polish: formalny (pl)
• Portuguese: formal (pt)
• Romanian: formal (ro) m or n
• Russian: форма́льный (ru) (formálʹnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: фо̀рма̄лан

  Latin: fòrmālan (sh)

• Slovak: formálny (sk)
• Slovene: formalen
• Spanish: formal (es)
• Swedish: formell (sv)
• Tagalog: maanyo
• Tajik: сурӣ (suri), расмӣ (tg) (rasmi)
• Turkish: resmi (tr)
• Ukrainian: форма́льний (uk) (formálʹnyj)
• Uzbek: rasmiy (uz)

official

• Afrikaans: formeel, amptelik (af)
• Arabic: رَسْمِيّ (ar) (rasmiyy)
• Armenian: պաշտոնական (hy) (paštonakan)
• Azerbaijani: rəsmi (az)
• Bashkir: рәсми (räsmiy)
• Belarusian: афіцы́йны (be) (aficýjny), офіцыя́льны (oficyjálʹny), фарма́льны (farmálʹny)
• Bulgarian: официа́лен (bg) (oficiálen), форма́лен (bg) (formálen)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 正式 (zh) (zhèngshì)

• Czech: oficiální (cs)
• Dutch: formeel (nl)
• Finnish: virallinen (fi), formaali (fi)
• French: officiel (fr)
• Galician: oficial (gl) m or f
• Georgian: ოფიციალური (opicialuri), ფორმალური (pormaluri)
• German: förmlich (de), formell (de), offiziell (de)
• Greek: επίσημος (el) m (epísimos)
• Hindi: आधिकारिक (ādhikārik), औपचारिक (hi) (aupcārik)
• Hungarian: hivatalos (hu), formális (hu)
• Icelandic: formlegur (is)
• Japanese: 正式な (ja) (せいしきな, seishiki na), 形式的な (ja) (けいしきてきな, keishikiteki na)
• Kazakh: ресми (resmiy)
• Korean: 형식적(形式的) (ko) (hyeongsikjeok)
• Kyrgyz: ырасмый (ırasmıy), расмий (ky) (rasmiy)
• Macedonian: официјален m (oficijalen), формален (formalen)
• Malay: formal, rasmi
• Pashto: رسمي (ps) (rasmí)
• Persian:

  Iranian Persian: رَسْمی (rasmi)

• Polish: oficjalny (pl), formalny (pl)
• Portuguese: formal (pt)
• Romanian: oficial (ro) m or n, formal (ro) m or n
• Russian: официа́льный (ru) (oficiálʹnyj), форма́льный (ru) (formálʹnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Latin: fòrmālan (sh), slȕžben (sh)

• Slovak: oficiálny, úradný (sk)
• Slovene: formalen, uraden (sl)
• Tagalog: maanyo
• Tajik: расмӣ (tg) (rasmi)
• Tatar: рәсми (räsmi)
• Turkish: formel (tr), resmî (tr)
• Turkmen: resmi
• Ukrainian: офіці́йний (oficíjnyj), офіціа́льний (oficiálʹnyj), форма́льний (uk) (formálʹnyj)
• Urdu: رَسْمی (rasmī)
• Uyghur: رەسمىي (resmiy)
• Uzbek: rasmiy (uz)

relating to the form or structure of something

• Afrikaans: formeel
• Bulgarian: фо́рмен (bg) (fórmen)
• Catalan: formal (ca)
• Finnish: muodollinen (fi), formaali (fi)
• French: formel (fr)
• Galician: formal (gl)
• German: Form- (de)
• Greek: μορφολογικός (el) (morfologikós)
• Hindi: औपचारिक (hi) (aupcārik), आधिकारिक (ādhikārik)
• Hungarian: formai (hu)
• Italian: formale (it)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: پەتی (petî)

• Macedonian: форма́лен (formálen)
• Portuguese: formal (pt)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Latin: fòrmālan (sh)

• Spanish: formal (es)
• Turkish: biçimsel (tr), formel (tr), şeklî (tr)

ceremonial

• Bulgarian: церемониа́лен (bg) (ceremoniálen)
• Catalan: solemne (ca), convencional (ca)
• Finnish: juhlallinen (fi), formaali (fi)
• German: formell (de), förmlich (de)
• Greek: τυπικός (el) m (typikós)
• Japanese: 正式の (ja) (せいしきの, seishiki no)
• Macedonian: церемонија́лен (ceremonijálen)
• Malay: formal
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: høytidelig (no)

• Portuguese: formal (pt)
• Russian: церемониа́льный (ru) (ceremoniálʹnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Latin: cȅremonijālan (sh)

• Spanish: protocolario

mathematics, logic: relating to mere manipulations of symbols

• Bulgarian: форма́лен (bg) (formálen)
• Dhivehi: ރަސްމީ (dv) (rasmī)
• German: formal (de)
• Hungarian: formális (hu)
• Portuguese: formal (pt)
• Russian: форма́льный (ru) (formálʹnyj)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} formala
• Ido: ^{(please verify)} formala (io)

Noun

formal (countable and uncountable, plural formals)

1. (clothing) An evening gown.
   • 1965, Shadow Morton, “Sophisticated Boom Boom”, performed by The Shangri-Las:

     Well, I open up the door / And much to my surprise / The girls were wearin' formals / And the boys were wearin' ties

2. An event with a formal dress code.

   Jenny took Sam to her Year 12 formal.

3. (programming) A formal parameter.
4. (Oxbridge slang) Ellipsis of formal hall.

Derived terms

• formal swap

Etymology 2

See formo-.

Noun

formal (countable and uncountable, plural formals)

1. (uncountable) Formalin.
2. An acetal formed from formaldehyde.

Related terms

• hemiformal

Translations

formalin — see formalin

Further reading

• “formal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “formal”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Folmar

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin fōrmālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Central) [furˈmal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Northwestern) [forˈmal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [foɾˈmal]

• Audio (Catalonia):

  (file)

Adjective

formal m or f (masculine and feminine plural formals)

1. formal

   Antonym: informal

Derived terms

• formalitzar
• formalment
• informal

Related terms

• forma
• formalitat

Further reading

• “formal”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “formal”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “formal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “formal”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Crimean Tatar

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin formalis, from forma (“form”).

Adjective

formal

1. formal

References

• Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M. (2002), Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎^[1], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN

Galician

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin formalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /foɾˈmal/

Noun

formal m (plural formais)

1. site, plot
   • 1290, M. Lucas Álvarez P. Lucas Domínguez (eds.), El monasterio de San Clodio do Ribeiro en la Edad Media: estudio y documentos. Sada / A Coruña: Edicións do Castro, page 415:

     damos a uos que tenades de nos essa cassa en que uos ora morades en Eyres, con seu saydo et con todo o formal dessa casa, asi como esta çerrada de muro ao tenpo da era desta carta.

     we give you, for you to have, that house where you now dwell in Eires, with its garden and with the whole plot of that house, as it is enclosed with a wall at the time of this charter

   Synonym: sesego

2. foundation, ruin
3. mould for the production of tiles

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ)der.?

Latin fōrma

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin formalislbor.

Galician formal

Learned borrowing from Latin formalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /foɾˈmal/

Adjective

formal m or f (plural formais)

1. formal

Derived terms

• formalmente

Related terms

• forma
• formalidade
• informal

Further reading

• “formal”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026

References

• Seoane, Ernesto Xosé González; Granja, María Álvarez de la; Agrelo, Ana Isabel Boullón (2006–2022), “formal”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval [Dictionary of dictionaries of Medieval Galician] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Barreiro, Xavier Varela; Guinovart, Xavier Gómez (2006–2018), “formal”, in Corpus Xelmírez: corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval [Corpus Xelmírez: linguistic corpus of Medieval Galicia] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “formal”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “formal”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “formal”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

German

Etymology

Form +‎ -al

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔʁˈmaːl/
• Rhymes: -aːl

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Adjective

formal (strong nominative masculine singular formaler, comparative formaler, superlative am formalsten)

1. formal (being in accord with established forms)

Usage notes

Not to be confused with formell. The adjectives formell and informell express the presence or absence of ceremonies: ein informelles Treffen is a meeting in a near-private context. The adjective formal stresses the outward appearance (pro forma) as opposed to the content or the spirit.

Declension

Positive forms of formal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist formal	sie ist formal	es ist formal	sie sind formal
strong declension (without article)	nominative	formaler	formale	formales	formale
	genitive	formalen	formaler	formalen	formaler
	dative	formalem	formaler	formalem	formalen
	accusative	formalen	formale	formales	formale
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der formale	die formale	das formale	die formalen
	genitive	des formalen	der formalen	des formalen	der formalen
	dative	dem formalen	der formalen	dem formalen	den formalen
	accusative	den formalen	die formale	das formale	die formalen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein formaler	eine formale	ein formales	(keine) formalen
	genitive	eines formalen	einer formalen	eines formalen	(keiner) formalen
	dative	einem formalen	einer formalen	einem formalen	(keinen) formalen
	accusative	einen formalen	eine formale	ein formales	(keine) formalen

Comparative forms of formal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist formaler	sie ist formaler	es ist formaler	sie sind formaler
strong declension (without article)	nominative	formalerer	formalere	formaleres	formalere
	genitive	formaleren	formalerer	formaleren	formalerer
	dative	formalerem	formalerer	formalerem	formaleren
	accusative	formaleren	formalere	formaleres	formalere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der formalere	die formalere	das formalere	die formaleren
	genitive	des formaleren	der formaleren	des formaleren	der formaleren
	dative	dem formaleren	der formaleren	dem formaleren	den formaleren
	accusative	den formaleren	die formalere	das formalere	die formaleren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein formalerer	eine formalere	ein formaleres	(keine) formaleren
	genitive	eines formaleren	einer formaleren	eines formaleren	(keiner) formaleren
	dative	einem formaleren	einer formaleren	einem formaleren	(keinen) formaleren
	accusative	einen formaleren	eine formalere	ein formaleres	(keine) formaleren

Superlative forms of formal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist am formalsten	sie ist am formalsten	es ist am formalsten	sie sind am formalsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	formalster	formalste	formalstes	formalste
	genitive	formalsten	formalster	formalsten	formalster
	dative	formalstem	formalster	formalstem	formalsten
	accusative	formalsten	formalste	formalstes	formalste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der formalste	die formalste	das formalste	die formalsten
	genitive	des formalsten	der formalsten	des formalsten	der formalsten
	dative	dem formalsten	der formalsten	dem formalsten	den formalsten
	accusative	den formalsten	die formalste	das formalste	die formalsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein formalster	eine formalste	ein formalstes	(keine) formalsten
	genitive	eines formalsten	einer formalsten	eines formalsten	(keiner) formalsten
	dative	einem formalsten	einer formalsten	einem formalsten	(keinen) formalsten
	accusative	einen formalsten	eine formalste	ein formalstes	(keine) formalsten

Further reading

• “formal” in Duden online
• “formal”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎^[2] (in German)

Indonesian

Adjective

formal (comparative lebih formal, superlative paling formal)

1. formal

Alternative forms

• formil

Malay

Etymology

Borrowed from English formal, from Middle English formel, from Old French formel, from Latin fōrmālis, from fōrma (“form”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfo(r)məl/ [ˈfɔ(r).məl], /ˈfo(r)mal/ [ˈfo(r).mal]
• Rhymes: -əl, -al
• Hyphenation: for‧mal

Adjective

formal (Jawi spelling فورمل, comparative lebih formal, superlative paling formal)

1. Formal:

   Antonym: informal

   1. Being in accord with established forms.
   2. Official.

      Synonym: rasmi

   3. Ceremonial or traditional.
   4. Proper, according to strict etiquette; not casual.

      Antonym: kasual

Derived terms

Affixations

• formalkan
• keformalan
• pemformalan

Further reading

• "formal" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017

Piedmontese

Etymology

From Latin formalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /furˈmal/
• Rhymes: -al

Adjective

formal

1. formal

Portuguese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ)der.?

Latin fōrma

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin fōrmālislbor.

Portuguese formal

Learned borrowing from Latin fōrmālis. By surface analysis, forma +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /foʁˈmaw/ [foɦˈmaʊ̯]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /foʁˈmaw/ [foɦˈmaʊ̯]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /foɾˈmaw/ [foɾˈmaʊ̯]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /foʁˈmaw/ [foʁˈmaʊ̯]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /foɻˈmaw/ [foɻˈmaʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /fuɾˈmal/ [fuɾˈmaɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /fuɾˈmal/ [fuɾˈmaɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /fuɾˈma.li/

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
• Hyphenation: for‧mal

Adjective

formal m or f (plural formais)

1. formal (being in accord with established forms)
2. formal (official)
3. formal (relating to the form or structure of something)
4. formal (ceremonial)
5. (logic) formal (involving mere manipulations of symbols)

Derived terms

• formalmente

Further reading

• “formal”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “formal” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
• “formal”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French formel, Latin formalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /forˈmal/

Adjective

formal m or n (feminine singular formală, masculine plural formali, feminine/neuter plural formale)

1. formal

Declension

Declension of formal

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	formal		formală	formali	formale
	definite	formalul		formala	formalii	formalele
genitive- dative	indefinite	formal		formale	formali	formale
	definite	formalului		formalei	formalilor	formalelor

Related terms

• formalitate

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ)der.?

Latin fōrma

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin formālisbor.

Spanish formal

Borrowed from Latin formālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /foɾˈmal/ [foɾˈmal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: for‧mal

Adjective

formal m or f (masculine and feminine plural formales)

1. formal
2. reliable, dependable
3. (relational) form

Derived terms

• falacia formal
• feo, fuerte, y formal
• formalidad
• formalismo
• formalista
• formalización
• formalizar
• formalmente

Related terms

• forma
• informal
  • informalidad
  • informalmente

Further reading

• “formal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025