col|lo´qui|al|ness

col|lo|qui|al «kuh LOH kwee uhl», adjective.

1. used in common talk; belonging to everyday, familiar talk; informal; conversational: »

“The boxer clipped his opponent on the jaw” and “That was a close shave; you nearly ran over the dog!” are colloquial expressions.

Abbr: colloq.

2. of or having to do with colloquy or conversation: »

The colloquial wit has always his own radiance reflected on himself (Samuel Johnson).

–col|lo´qui|al|ly, adverb.

–col|lo´qui|al|ness, noun.

Usage Colloquial means conversational, used in speaking. Since the speech of people varies with their education, work, and social status, there are obviously many different types of colloquial English. Since the bulk of conversation is informal, colloquial suggests informal rather than formal English. It need not, however, mean the speech of uneducated people, and should be distinguished from slang. As used in many dictionaries, colloquial refers to informal cultivated English. In this dictionary, the label Informal is preferred to Colloquial to avoid confusion.