English
formal
Formal comes from Old French formel, from Latin fōrmālis, from fōrma ‘form’, whose origin is unknown.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfōrma‘form’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfōrmālis‘formal, of form’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400formel‘formal’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1965formal
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfōrma‘form’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfōrmālis‘formal, of form’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400formel‘formal’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1965formal
Earliest quotation: 1965, Shadow Morton, Sophisticated Boom Boom: “Well, I open up the door / And much…”
Formed from form + -al
Linked words
through Ancient Greek μορφή ‘shape, fashion, appearance, outward form,…’
through Etruscan *morma
uniformity, informatics, deformable, 20 more
through Latin fōrma ‘form’
information, reform, formula, transformation, uniform, inform, fromage, deform, 27 more
Today it means
adj In accordance with established forms.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin fōrma / formal