formality
noun/fɔːˈmæləti/
/fɔːrˈmæləti/
(plural formalities)
- [countable, usually plural] a thing that you must do as a formal or official part of a legal process, a social situation, etc.
- to go through all the formalities necessary in order to get a gun licence
- Let's skip the formalities and get down to business.
- It only took a few minutes to complete the legal formalities.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- mere
- customs
- legal
- …
- complete
- deal with
- go through
- …
- just a formality
- merely a formality
- only a formality
- …
- [countable, usually singular] a thing that you must do as part of an official process, but that has little meaning and will not affect what happens
- He already knows he has the job so the interview is a mere formality.
- Your acceptance into the club will be a mere formality.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- mere
- customs
- legal
- …
- complete
- deal with
- go through
- …
- just a formality
- merely a formality
- only a formality
- …
- [uncountable] correct and formal behaviour
- Different levels of formality are appropriate in different situations.
- She greeted him with stiff formality.
Extra Examples- She preferred to maintain a cool formality in her dealings with her manager.
- She couldn't help smiling at the formality of his words.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- stiff
- degree
- level
- maintain
Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘accordance with legal rules or conventions’): from French formalité or medieval Latin formalitas, from formalis, from forma ‘shape, mould’.
Check pronunciation:
formality