formally

English

Etymology

formal +‎ -ly

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔː.mə.li/, /ˈfɔːm.li/

  • Audio (London):

    (file)

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɹ.mə.li/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈfoː.mə.li/
• Homophone: formerly (nonrhotic accents)

Adverb

formally (comparative more formally, superlative most formally)

1. In a formal manner.

   He was dressed too formally for the occasion.

2. In accordance with official procedure.

   He formally filed a complaint, which involved much paperwork.

3. In accordance with rigorous rules.

   He proved it formally but gave his students no intuitive feel for the matter.

Antonyms

• informally

Translations

in a formal manner

• Bulgarian: формално (bg) (formalno)
• Catalan: formalment (ca)
• Czech: formálně (cs)
• Dutch: formeel (nl)
• Finnish: muodollisesti (fi), virallisesti (fi), juhlallisesti (fi), formaalisti (fi)
• French: formellement (fr)
• Galician: formalmente (gl)
• Italian: formalmente (it)
• Portuguese: formalmente
• Russian: форма́льно (ru) (formálʹno)
• Spanish: formalmente (es)

in accordance with official procedure

• Afrikaans: formeel
• Bulgarian: официално (bg) (oficialno)
• Catalan: formalment (ca)
• Czech: formálně (cs)
• Dutch: formeel (nl)
• Finnish: virallisesti (fi), muodollisesti (fi)
• Italian: ufficialmente (it)
• Spanish: formalmente (es)

in accordance with rigorous rules

• Afrikaans: formeel
• Bulgarian: формално (bg) (formalno)
• Catalan: formalment (ca)
• Czech: formálně (cs)
• Dutch: formeel (nl)
• Finnish: formaalisti (fi)
• Italian: rigorosamente (it)
• Spanish: formalmente (es)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} formale (eo)

See also

• officially