- Today's Word
Colloquial
kuh-LOH-kwee-uhl
Definition
(adjective) Used in everyday, informal speech rather than formal language.
Example
Her writing had a colloquial tone that made complex topics easy to understand.
Fun Fact
“Colloquial” comes from Latin colloquium—literally “conversation.” It’s how we speak off the cuff, full of contractions, slang, and casual phrasing. Colloquial language brings relatability and voice, especially in dialogue and branding. What’s proper in a textbook might sound stiff in a coffee shop.
(adjective) Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of; stealthy or secretive.
She cast a surreptitious glance at her phone during the meeting.
Late Middle English: from Latin “surreptitius,” from “surripere” meaning “to take away secretly,” from “sub-” (secretly) + “rapere” (to seize).