register
n. C / Un. the level of formality in a piece of writing or speech. You choose a different register depending on whether you are talking to a friend or writing a business report.
n. a variety of language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting. It is determined by factors such as social occasion, context, purpose, and audience.
The student used a formal register in her essay.
Switching to a more casual register during the meeting helped the team feel more comfortable sharing their ideas.
Linguistic competence involves not only mastering grammar and vocabulary but also understanding how to adjust one's register to suit the specific social and professional demands of a situation.
Often used with adjectives like 'formal', 'informal', 'academic', or 'literary' to describe the style of communication.