colloquial

adjective

col·​lo·​qui·​al kə-ˈlō-kwē-əl How to pronounce colloquial (audio)
1
a
: used in or characteristic of familiar and informal conversation
In colloquial English, "kind of" is often used for "somewhat" or "rather."
also : unacceptably informal
b
: using conversational style
a colloquial writer
2
: of or relating to conversation : conversational
colloquial expressions
colloquial noun
colloquiality noun
colloquially adverb

Did you know?

The noun colloquy was first used in English to refer to a conversation or dialogue, and when the adjective colloquial was formed from colloquy it had a similar focus. Over time, however, colloquial developed a more specific meaning related to language that is most suited to informal conversation—and it ultimately garnered an additional, disparaging implication of a style that seems too informal for a situation. Colloquy and colloquial trace back to the Latin verb colloqui, meaning "to converse." Colloqui in turn was formed by combining the prefix com- ("with") and loqui ("to speak"). Other conversational descendants of loqui in English include circumlocution, eloquent, loquacious, soliloquy, and ventriloquism.

Examples of colloquial in a Sentence

But I think part of this pickle that we're in—if I may be colloquial, even though I'm not running for office—is that we've lost their sense of responsibility. Sarah Vowell, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2008
Langston was the merriest and the most colloquial of them all. "Best party I've ever been given!" he said. Gwendolyn Brooks, Booklist, 15 Oct. 1993
Mr. Salisbury's firsthand account is written in a fast-paced, chaotic and colloquial style, which often feels confused and hastily set down. Susan Shapiro, New York Times Book Review, 10 Sept. 1989
Although in the circle of his friends, where he might be unreserved with safety, he took a free share in conversation, his colloquial talents were not above mediocrity, possessing neither copiousness of ideas, nor fluency of words. Thomas Jefferson, letter, 2 Jan. 1814
the new coworker's rudeness soon began—to use a colloquial expression—to rub me the wrong way a colloquial essay on what makes a marriage successful
Recent Examples on the Web The companies of the colloquial Silicon Valley are overcorrecting for pandemic-era hiring, adjusting to high interest rates, and yielding to shareholder pressure to make their businesses more efficient. Lauren Goode, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2024 In colloquial terms, something just does not add up. Vlad Velicu, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2024 While news bulletins are in classical Syriac, cultural programs are in a colloquial dialect. Jules Struck, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2024 Many of us are accustomed to the common names of the moon and its cycles, but there are also a multitude of colloquial names. Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 18 Jan. 2024 David has also, in a more colloquial sense, played himself. M.d. Rodrigues, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2024 But mudslides — which have a technical definition distinct from the colloquial use of the word — are not covered by flood insurance, and are rarely covered by any kind of insurance policy at all. Sam Dean, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2024 At its colloquial heart, the debate is about whether poppadoms are food or snack. Ali Watkins, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2024 This object, known more formally as Messier 1 or M1, earned its colloquial name when Anglo-Irish astronomer William Parsons observed and drew this object in the early 1840s. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 5 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'colloquial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see colloquy

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of colloquial was in 1751

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Dictionary Entries Near colloquial

Cite this Entry

“Colloquial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colloquial. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

colloquial

adjective
col·​lo·​qui·​al kə-ˈlō-kwē-əl How to pronounce colloquial (audio)
1
: used in or suited to familiar and informal conversation
a colloquial word
2
: using conversational style
a colloquial writer
colloquially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on colloquial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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