Formally

How to spell formally

8 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce formally

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does formally mean?

1. adverbIn an official, ceremonious, or rule-following manner; according to established convention.

Formally in a sentence

• The merger was formally approved by both boards of directors.

• Guests were asked to dress formally for the awards dinner.

Where does formally come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This adverb traces back to the Latin noun forma, which meant a shape, a mould, or an outward appearance, and by extension a proper or established manner of doing something. From forma came the Latin adjective formalis, meaning 'relating to outward form' or 'done according to the rules', and English borrowed this through Old French as 'formal' during the 1300s. The adverb 'formally' was then built on top by adding the native English suffix -ly, which simply turns an adjective into a description of how something is done. The sense narrowed in everyday use to mean 'officially' or 'in a ceremonious, rule-following way', as opposed to casually. The spelling trap is purely auditory: 'formally' sounds almost identical to 'formerly' (which comes from 'former', meaning earlier in time), so the only reliable cue is meaning, since 'formally' keeps the whole word 'formal' visible inside it.

How the word is built

• form (from Latin forma: shape, manner)
• -al (adjective suffix)
• -ly (adverb suffix)