colloquial

What it means

1. colloquialcomparativehuman sciencesCharacteristic of familiar conversation, of common parlance; informal.

   The colloquial, and at times sarcastic, tone of her books makes her popular with teenagers.

   2 more examples

   You're using too many colloquial words in this cover letter: I suggest changing "I picked up loads of cool skills" to "I acquired many positive abilities"

   If you know what it means to be a “fidlet” going for a “jolly” in your “doo”, then you are part of an exclusive club that speaks colloquial Antarctic English.

   2024 June 20, Eva Corlett, “Fidlets, fingies and riding a doo: study sheds light on Antarctic English slang”, in The Guardian

2. colloquialcomparativeOf or pertaining to a conversation; conversational or chatty.

In a sentence

You're using too many colloquial words in this cover letter: I suggest changing "I picked up loads of cool skills" to "I acquired many positive abilities"

Where it comes from

1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
3. Proto-Italic*kom
4. Proto-Italic*kom-
5. Latincon-
6. Proto-Indo-European*telkʷ-
7. Proto-Indo-European*tlokʷetor
8. Proto-Italic*tlokʷōr
9. Latinloquor
10. Latincolloquor
11. Latincolloquium
12. Middle Englishcolloquies
13. Englishcolloquy
14. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
15. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
16. Englishcolloquial

1751, from earlier term colloquy (“a conversation”), from Latin colloquium (“conference, conversation”), from con- (“together”) + loquor (“to speak”), + -al.