colloquialism

American  

[kuh-loh-kwee-uh-liz-uhm] / kəˈloʊ kwi əˌlɪz əm /

noun

colloquialisms plural

1. a colloquial expression.

2. colloquial style or usage.

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colloquialism British  

/ kəˈləʊkwɪəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a word or phrase appropriate to conversation and other informal situations

2. the use of colloquial words and phrases

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• colloquialist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• colloquialisms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of colloquialism

First recorded in 1800–10; colloquial + -ism

Explanation

A saying that expresses something other than the literal meaning of the words it contains is a colloquialism, like saying "I wasn't born yesterday," to mean "you can't fool me." Colloquialism comes from the Latin word colloquium meaning "conference, conversation," or literally "a speaking together." When you talk, colloquialisms are so common, you might not be aware you are using them — that is, until one comes up that is unfamiliar to someone in the group. Explaining the meaning of a colloquialism shows just how strange or goofy these expressions really are.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

colloquialism colloquialisms

Hegseth flippantly employed villainous colloquialism – “they are toast and they know it,” “we play for keeps,” and “President Trump got the last laugh” – delivered with a combative tone that communicated masculine self-assurance.

From Salon ● Mar. 10, 2026

Almost everyone who frequents the market are Chapines, a popular colloquialism used to refer to someone of Guatemalan descent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2023

From the “daddy’s little girl” colloquialism to pop culture references such as “Daughters” or the #GirlDad hashtag, the fabled bond remains one of our most enduring touchstones.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 22, 2022

“She’s a pound shop Maggie,” said Tony Clark, a member who lives outside Birmingham, using a colloquialism that refers to a discounted version of a great figure.

From New York Times ● Aug. 25, 2022

Some are penned in the stiff phraseology taught when old fashions were new, some in the free and easy colloquialism of the rising generation.

From My First Book: the experiences of Walter Besant, James Payn, W. Clark Russell, Grant Allen, Hall Caine, George R. Sims, Rudyard Kipling, A. Conan Doyle, M.E. Braddon, F.W. Robinson, H. Rider Haggard, R.M. Ballantyne, I. Zangwill, Morley Roberts, David Christie Murray, Marie Corelli, Jerome K. Jerome, John Strange Winter, Bret Harte, "Q.", Robert Buchanan, Robert Louis Stevenson, with an introduction by Jerome K. Jerome. by Various

Gilroy set to work meticulously highlighting the Maine-area colloquialisms and metaphors and building out Detective Mackey as a Javert-type villain, echoing the relentless inspector in Victor Hugo’s "Les Misérables."

From Salon ● Mar. 23, 2025

A translation company called Camb.ai used its proprietary A.I. model to translate broadcasts into other languages, matching appropriate tone, voice, and colloquialisms to make it feel authentic.

From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2024

That year, it adopted a new policy, saying messages should avoid “witticisms, colloquialisms, popular cultural or slang references.”

From Washington Post ● Feb. 13, 2023

Then, a native English speaker assesses the fluency of the translation, taking into account some of the colloquialisms of the non-English language.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2022

But for the pageant, she doesn’t want to hear me speak any street talk, or, as she calls it, colloquialisms.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles