Word
colloquial
Phoneticscol·lo·qui·al, stress on the second syllable
US/kəˈɫoʊkwiəɫ/
UK/kəlˈəʊkwɪəl/
Definitions
01informal speech
C1 · Advanced Technical
adj. describes words or language that you use when talking to friends or family in a casual way.
adj. characteristic of or appropriate to ordinary or familiar conversation rather than formal speech or writing.
“The teacher explained that 'gonna' is a colloquial way of saying 'going to'.”
“While the student's essay was logically sound, the professor noted that the tone was far too colloquial for a formal academic submission.”
Usage
Usually placed before the noun it describes, such as 'colloquial expression' or 'colloquial language'.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse 'colloquial' with 'slang'; explain that colloquialisms are standard but informal, whereas slang is often restricted to specific social groups.
Synonyms
02an informal word
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical · Formal
n. a word or phrase that is used in everyday conversation.
n. a colloquial word, phrase, or expression; a colloquialism.
“The phrase 'what's up' is a common colloquial used in many English-speaking countries.”
“The dictionary includes several new colloquials that have entered the language through social media and digital communication.”
Usage
This noun form is much less common than the adjective or the related noun 'colloquialism'.
Teaching tip
Advise students to use 'colloquialism' instead of 'colloquial' when they need a noun, as it is the more standard term.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“As mentioned earlier, it's a pretty colloquial greeting, so you should use it with young people or people you know well rather than in more formal situations or with older people.” “The money you get from an employer who sacks you is usually referred to in Spanish with this colloquial term rather than with the more formal indemnización .” “Unlike, say, the word “haemoglobin”, terms such as “cognition” have been around for so long that they’ve been coded into colloquial use in phrases such as “cognitive decline” and “cognitive bias”.” Etymology
1751, from earlier term colloquy (“a conversation”), from Latin colloquium (“conference, conversation”), from con- (“together”) + loquor (“to speak”), + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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