informal
/ɪnˈfɔɹ.m(ə)l/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.87 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Not formal or ceremonious.
adj
Not in accord with the usual regulations.
adj
Reflecting everyday, non-ceremonious usage.
adj
Not organized; not structured or planned.
Example Sentences
- "an informal get-together"
- "One saint's day in mid-term a certain newly appointed suffragan-bishop came to the school chapel, and there preached on “The Inner Life.” He at once secured attention by his informal method, and when presently the coughing of Jarvis […] interrupted the sermon, he altogether captivated his audience with a remark about cough lozenges being cheap and easily procurable."
- "Students and faculty members lunch at the cafeteria and naturally communicate freely with one another in a relaxed and informal setting."
- "Participants emphasized the importance of their social network in facilitating their strength training experiences. Family members served as informal coaches who introduced the participants to basic exercises. This role, where family members model healthy behaviors, has been identified as being important to help supporting PA participation among autistic individuals in prior work (Ku et al., 2020; Shields et al., 2012)."
- "an informal agreement"
- "informal clothes"
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- English formal English informal From in- + formal.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɪnˈfɔɹ.m(ə)l/
- British English: /ɪnˈfɔː.m(ə)l/
Inflected Forms
more informal (comparative)
most informal (superlative)
Derived Forms
Phrases
Synonyms
not formal
ceremonious
not in accord with the usual regulations
suited for everyday use
colloquial
cozy
intimate
cosy