From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcolloquialcol‧lo‧qui‧al /kəˈləʊkwiəl $ -ˈloʊ-/ ●○○ adjective SLlanguage or words that are colloquial are used mainly in informal conversations rather than in writing or formal speech —colloquially adverb
Examples from the Corpus
colloquial• You shouldn't use phrases like "sort of" in essays -- they're too colloquial.• The wire services demanded language stripped of the local, the regional, and the colloquial...• There is nothing colloquial about the auditor calling the company his/her client.• There is also growing differentiation between colloquial and literal vocabulary.• The best way of improving your colloquial English is by listening to native speakers.• colloquial expressions• It's a useful little phrase book, full of colloquial expressions.• Catledge inserted the more rustic touches, a kind of hominy style that gave their writing a colloquial flavor.• Although some students have a good grasp of colloquial language, few have ever got to grips with the concept of register.• This tale was collected in the Louisiana Creole colloquial speech.• There is a colloquial standard to learn on the playground and a literary standard to learn in class.• For an ordinary wedding a colloquial way of speaking will be suitable. 