Colloquialism

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kəˈləʊ.kwi.əˌlɪz.əm/

Definitions

1. An informal expression or phrase that is used in everyday conversation rather than in formal speech or writing
2. An informal word or phrase typical of casual everyday speech that differs from standard formal language
3. A casual term or phrase commonly used in spoken language instead of formal vocabulary

Etymology: The word "colloquialism" is built from "colloquial" plus the suffix "-ism," and "colloquial" itself descends from the Latin "colloquium," a gathering or conversation. That Latin noun comes from "colloqui," meaning to talk together, formed from "com-" (together) and "loqui" (to speak). So at its root, the idea is simply people talking with one another. The suffix "-ism" entered English from Greek "-ismos," used to form nouns of action, state, or doctrine. Attached to "colloquial," it names a particular feature of talk: a word or phrase that belongs to chatty, everyday speech rather than to formal writing. The chain of meaning runs from the act of conversing, to the style of conversation, to the expressions typical of it.

Synonyms: slang, informalism, vernacular, idiom, expression

Antonyms: formalism, standard language, literary language