Etymology

formal

for·mal
F4O1R1M3A1L1

Today it means: In accordance with established forms. Full definition →

Middle English formel ← Old French formel ← Latin fōrmālis
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formal · adjective, noun1

  1. Latin · derived fromfōrmālis
  2. Old French · derived fromformel
  3. Middle English · inherited fromformel
  4. English todayformal

From Middle English formel, borrowed from Old French formel, from Latin fōrmālis, from fōrma (“form”); equivalent to form + -al.

formal · noun2

See formo-.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.