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- pronunciation:
- for
m
 l
- parts of speech:
- adjective, noun
- features:
- Word Explorer, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition 1: |
following accepted rules for doing something; proper, legal, or official.
A teacher cannot move a student to another class; parents have to make a formal request to the principal.- synonyms:
- correct, official, proper
- similar words:
- customary, legal, regular, routine, standard, stiff, strict
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| definition 2: |
following solemn or polite customs or traditions.
The wedding was very formal and we had to dress up and be on our best behavior.- antonyms:
- casual, informal
- similar words:
- pompous
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| definition 3: |
proper or socially correct, sometimes to the point of being cold; stiff.
Her parents were so formal that they made their guests feel uncomfortable.- synonyms:
- reserved, stiff
- similar words:
- conservative, prim, proper, stuffy
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| related words: |
distant |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
a dance or other social event to which formal clothing is worn.
Are you going to the winter formal? |
| definition 2: |
an evening dress or gown.
She wore a formal to the ball.- similar words:
- gown
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| related words: |
ball, dance, function |
| derivations: |
formally (adv.), formality (n.) |
The word formal
contains the following parts:
form
Latin
root
that means shape, form
  Example words:
conform, deform, form, formal, formation, formula, inform, informal, information, reform, transform, transformation, uniform
-al2, -ial, -ual
Latin
adjective-forming suffix
that means pertaining to
More about this word part:
The suffix -al2, -ial
attaches primarily to nouns ( national
, environmental
) but sometimes to Latin or Greek roots ( final
, capital
, comical
) to form adjectives. See also -ar1.
Example words:
abnormal, accidental, additional, aerial, annual, artificial, biblical, brutal, capital, central, chemical, classical, coastal, colonial, comical, commercial, confidential, constitutional, continual, controversial, conventional, criminal, critical, crucial, cultural, cylindrical, dental, detrimental, developmental, economical, editorial, educational, electrical, emotional, environmental, essential, equal, exceptional, experimental, facial, factual, federal, final, financial, floral, formal, functional, fundamental, general, global, grammatical, habitual, historical, hysterical, illogical, immoral, impersonal, impractical, individual, industrial, influential, internal, legal, local, logical, lyrical, magical, mathematical, memorial, mental, moral, mortal, musical, mythical, national, natural, nautical, neutral, normal, official, parental, personal, plural, political, potential, racial, rational, regional, irrational, intellectual, rhythmical, seasonal, spinal, spiritual, technological, thermal, tidal, traditional, tribal, typical, universal, unnatural, verbal, virtual, vocal, visual
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