colloquial
gb/kəlˈoʊkwiəl/ us/kəlˈoʊkwiəl/
C1
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
adjective
C1
property
1
informal, conversational language
used in everyday speech; not formal
Schéma d’usage :
[colloquial] [word/phrase/expression/style]
Erreur fréquente :
Don’t confuse colloquial (informal everyday language) with slang (often more group-specific and trendy). Also, it is not related to collocation.
Synonymes
informal (The broad, most common alternative.)
|
conversational (Emphasizes sounding like natural speech.)
|
everyday (Focuses on what people normally say.)
Antonymes
formal (Appropriate for official or serious situations.)
|
literary (Typical of careful, book-like writing.)
Collocations
colloquial language
|colloquial speech
|colloquial expression
|colloquial phrase
|colloquial word
|colloquial English
|colloquial style
|colloquial tone
|colloquial usage
|highly colloquial
Thèmes
language
|communication
|writing
Exemples
- The novel uses a colloquial style that sounds like real conversation.
- That’s a colloquial word, so it may not be appropriate in a formal email.
- Her lecture was clear and surprisingly colloquial for an academic talk.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This phrase is colloquial.
- Colloquial language is common in conversation.
adjective
C1
property
2
common non-technical term
the everyday name, not the technical one
Schéma d’usage :
the colloquial name/term for [something]
Erreur fréquente :
A colloquial name can be widely used and understood; it doesn’t have to be slang or rude.
Synonymes
everyday (Highlights common use; may be less clearly contrasted with technical terms.)
|
nontechnical (Directly contrasts with specialist language.)
|
lay (Used especially when contrasting experts vs non-experts (e.g., lay term).)
Antonymes
technical (Used in specialized fields like medicine or engineering.)
|
official (The formal name used in documents or institutions.)
Collocations
colloquial name
|colloquial term
|colloquial label
|colloquial wording
|the colloquial name for
|known colloquially as
Thèmes
language
|science
|medicine
Exemples
- ‘Pink eye’ is the colloquial name for conjunctivitis.
- The report used the technical term, but the doctor explained the colloquial term to the patient.
- It’s known colloquially as a ‘stomach bug,’ though the exact cause can vary.
Exemples pédagogiques
- ‘Flu’ is a colloquial name for influenza.
Nom
C2
entity
3
a colloquial word or phrase
an informal word or expression
Schéma d’usage :
a colloquial; colloquials
Erreur fréquente :
This noun use is uncommon; colloquialism is more usual for an informal word or phrase.
Synonymes
colloquialism (Much more common and standard as a noun.)
|
informalism (Less common; often used in style discussions.)
Antonymes
formalism (A formal expression or adherence to formal style.)
Collocations
regional colloquials
|local colloquials
|everyday colloquials
Thèmes
language
Exemples
- The glossary explains colloquials that appear in the dialogue.
- Some colloquials don’t translate well into other languages.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
colloquial
API
GB/kəlˈoʊkwiəl/
US/kəlˈoʊkwiəl/
Syllabes et accentuation
col - lo - qui - al (4 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (lo)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: colloquial
Famille de mots
Core family
colloquially
adverb C1
colloquialism
noun
Negative and opposite forms
formal
adjective B1
Expressions
colloquial expression
1/kəlˈoʊkwiəl ɪkspɹˈɛʃən/
fixed phrase
informal conversational phrase
a phrase people use in casual speech
Exemples
- ‘No worries’ is a common colloquial expression in Australia.
- The subtitles include several colloquial expressions that learners might not know.
colloquial language
1/kəlˈoʊkwiəl lˈæŋɡwɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
everyday informal language
informal language people speak every day
Exemples
- The script uses colloquial language to make the characters sound natural.
- Try to avoid colloquial language in a formal cover letter.
colloquial name
1/kəlˈoʊkwiəl nˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
everyday name for something
the common name people say
Exemples
- ‘Swimmer’s ear’ is the colloquial name for otitis externa.
- The brochure lists both the scientific name and the colloquial name of each plant.
colloquial style
1/kəlˈoʊkwiəl stˈaɪl/
fixed phrase
style that sounds like speech
a style that feels like conversation
Exemples
- He writes in a colloquial style that feels friendly and direct.
- The blog’s colloquial style contrasts with the company’s formal press releases.
colloquial term
1/kəlˈoʊkwiəl tˈɚm/
fixed phrase
informal everyday term
an everyday word, not the official one
Exemples
- ‘Belly’ is a colloquial term for ‘abdomen.’
- The manual uses technical vocabulary and avoids colloquial terms.
in colloquial english
1/ˈɪn kəlˈoʊkwiəl ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/
fixed phrase
using informal everyday English
in everyday (not formal) English
Exemples
- In colloquial English, people often shorten ‘going to’ to ‘gonna.’
- In colloquial English, ‘kids’ is more common than ‘children’ in casual speech.