informal
Relaxed and casual; not serious or very polite in style or situation.
Relaxed, friendly, and not following strict rules of ceremony, behavior, or style.
Not official; not written down or done by strict rules or law.
Not officially recognized, approved, or done according to fixed rules, procedures, or legal forms.
Describes clothes that are casual and not for very formal events.
Describing clothing or a dress code that is casual and not suitable for very formal or ceremonial occasions.
Describes language that is friendly and like normal speech, not careful or official writing.
Describing language that is used in relaxed, everyday conversation, often including contractions, simple grammar, and colloquial expressions.
- Base: informal
informal agreement
1unwritten, unofficial agreement
An agreement that people make by talking but do not write down or make official.
- We have an informal agreement to share the costs of the project.
- The two companies reached an informal agreement before signing a contract.
informal economy
1economy outside formal regulation
All the work and business that is not officially recorded by the government and usually not taxed.
- The informal economy can provide income for people who cannot find formal jobs.
- Measuring the size of the informal economy is difficult for researchers.
informal education
1learning outside formal schools
Learning that happens in daily life, at home, at work, or in the community, not in an official school or course.
- Museums play an important role in informal education.
- Children get a lot of informal education from their families.
informal language
1everyday, relaxed style of language
Language that people use in normal, friendly situations, with simple words and grammar and sometimes slang.
- This textbook explains which words are formal and which are informal language.
- In job applications, avoid very informal language like slang and emojis.
informal meeting
1relaxed, unofficial meeting
A meeting that is relaxed and not official, often without a fixed plan or record.
- Let’s have an informal meeting tomorrow to share our first ideas.
- The manager held an informal meeting over lunch to discuss the changes.
informal sector
1unregulated part of the economy
The part of the economy where people work and earn money, but the government does not control or tax the work in a clear way.
- Many street vendors work in the informal sector.
- In some countries, the informal sector employs a large share of the population.
keep it informal
1ask to stay relaxed and casual
To ask people to stay relaxed and not follow strict rules in how they talk, act, or dress.
- Let’s keep it informal and just talk about how we feel.
- The host told guests to keep it informal and wear whatever they liked.