different between workaday vs informal

English

Alternative forms

• workyday (obsolete)

Etymology

Circa 1200, Middle English werkedei, from Old Norse virkr dagr (“working day”). Cognate to later workday; see work and day. Used in adjective sense from 16th century. Note that the surface analysis work +? a +? day is cognate, but not the correct etymology – a much older formation.

Adjective

workaday (comparative more workaday, superlative most workaday)

1. Suitable for everyday use.
2. Mundane or commonplace.

Quotations

• 1916, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce, Macmillan Press Ltd, paperback, p. 102:

  A retreat, my dear boys, signifies a withdrawal for a while from the cares of our life, the cares of this workaday world, in order to examine the state of our conscience, to reflect on the mysteries of holy religion and to understand better why we are here in this world."

Related terms

• workday

Translations

References

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.