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colloquialism
Definitions
1
noun
A
word
or
phrase
that
is
used
in
informal
language
and
is
often
specific
to
a
particular
region
or
group
.
The
word
'
y'all'
is
a
colloquialism
commonly
used
in
the
southern
United
States
.
Using
'
gonna'
instead
of
'
going
to'
is
a
colloquialism
often
heard
in
casual
conversations
.
In
Australia
,
'
arvo'
is
a
colloquialism
for
'
afternoon'
.
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Word Origin
Language
Latin
Original word
colloquium
Word parts
col (together) + loqui (to speak)
Originally meant
a conversation or speaking together
Background
The term 'colloquialism' comes from the Latin 'colloquium', meaning a conversation or dialogue. It entered English in the 18th century to describe informal expressions used in everyday speech.