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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ortiz helped Clark use colloquial Spanish, so some of the songs use slang most commonly used in Mexico. Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 3 Dec. 2024 There was good and evil in the world—not in the colloquial sense but in the literal, supernatural sense. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024 The oceanic pole of inaccessibility goes by a more colloquial name: Point Nemo. Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2024 The term shart is a colloquial reference for a wet fart, or when watery stool accidentally slips out while passing gas. Cristina Mutchler, Health, 6 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for colloquial 

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 13 Dec. 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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