| formal | |
| 1. adj. Being in accord with established forms. | |
| She spoke formal English, without any dialect. | |
| 2. adj. Official. | |
| I'd like to make a formal complaint. | |
| 3. adj. Relating to the form or structure of something. | |
| Formal linguistics ignores the vocabulary of languages and focuses solely on their grammar. | |
| 4. adj. Relating to formation. | |
| The formal stage is a critical part of any child's development. | |
| 5. adj. Ceremonial or traditional. | |
| Formal wear must be worn at my wedding! | |
| 6. adj. Proper, according to strict etiquette; not casual. | |
| He's always very formal, and I wish he'd relax a bit. | |
| 7. adj. Organized; well-structured and planned. | |
| When they became a formal club the rowers built a small boathouse. | |
| 8. adj. (mathematics) Relating to mere manipulation and construction of strings of symbols, without regard to their meaning. | |
| Formal series are defined without any reference to convergence. | |
| 9. n. Formalin. | |
| 10. n. An evening gown. | |
| 11. n. An event with a formal dress code. | |
| Jenny took Sam to her Year 12 formal. | |
| 12. n. (programming) A formal parameter. | |
