different between informal vs offhand

English

Etymology

From in- +? formal.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n?f??m(?)l/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?f??m(?)l/
• Hyphenation: in?for?mal
• Rhymes: -??(?)m?l

Adjective

informal (comparative more informal, superlative most informal)

1. Not formal or ceremonious.

2. Not in accord with the usual regulations.

3. Suited for everyday use.

4. (of language) Reflecting everyday, non-ceremonious usage.
5. (horticulture) Not organized; not structured or planned.

Synonyms

• (not formal or ceremonious): casual
• (not in accord with the usual regulations): unofficial
• (suited for everyday use): casual
• (language: reflecting everyday, non-ceremonious usage): colloquial

Antonyms

• formal

Derived terms

• informality
• informally
• semi-informal

Translations

Anagrams

• formalin

Catalan

Etymology

in- +? formal

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /im.fo??mal/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /im.fur?mal/

Adjective

informal (masculine and feminine plural informals)

1. informal

Derived terms

• informalment

Further reading

• “informal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Galician

Adjective

informal m or f (plural informais)

1. informal

Antonyms

• formal

Derived terms

• informalmente

Further reading

• “informal” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.

Portuguese

Adjective

informal m or f (plural informais, comparable)

1. informal (not formal or ceremonious)

Further reading

• “informal” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /info??mal/, [??.fo??mal]

Adjective

informal (plural informales)

1. informal

   Antonym: formal

Derived terms

• falacia formal
• informalidad
• informalmente

Further reading

• “informal” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.

English

Alternative forms

• off-hand

Etymology

From Middle English *ofhande, *ofhende, from Old English ofhende (“absent, lost”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *abahandijaz. Equivalent to off- +? hand. Cognate with Icelandic afhendur. Compare onhand.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /??f?hænd/
• Rhymes: -ænd

Adjective

offhand (comparative more offhand, superlative most offhand)

1. Without planning or thinking ahead.

2. Careless; without sufficient thought or consideration.

3. Curt, abrupt, unfriendly.

Synonyms

• (without planning): impromptu, extemporaneous, off-the-cuff; see also Thesaurus:impromptu

Translations

See also

• off the top of one's head

Adverb

offhand (comparative more offhand, superlative most offhand)

1. Right away, immediately, without thinking about it.
   • Offhand, I'd guess that that's a yellow-bellied sapsucker.
   • 1854, William Makepeace Thackeray, The Rose and the Ring:

     We will have no more of this shilly-shallying! Call the Archbishop, and let the Prince and Princess be married offhand!

2. In an offhand (adjective) manner.

Anagrams

• hand off, hand-off, handoff