colloquialism
nounUK /kəˈləʊ.kwi.əˌlɪz.əm/ · US /kəˈloʊ.kwi.əˌlɪz.əm/
Etymology From colloquial + -ism.
1
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences A colloquial word or phrase; a common spoken expression.
- Before embarking on her trip, Kaefer expected to find a pan-Antarctic vocabulary, but quickly discovered there were distinct colloquialisms within each station.2024 June 20, Eva Corlett, “Fidlets, fingies and riding a doo: study sheds light on Antarctic English slang”, in The Guardian:
2
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences A colloquial manner of speaking.
- The differences between slang, colloquialism and jargon are not clear-cut.1996, James Lambert, The Macquarie Book of Slang, Sydney: Macquarie Library, page v: