Definition of formality in English:

formality

nounPlural formalities fɔːˈmalɪtifɔrˈmælədi

mass noun

1The rigid observance of convention or etiquette.
拘泥形式，遵守礼节
the formality of life in an English public school
英国公学（私立寄宿学校）的拘谨生活。
Example sentencesExamples
- There are no traditional rules or rigid formality or fairy tale settings involving tormented love between a man and woman.
- Rigid self-control went hand-in-hand with a precise and exacting formality.
- For Vera and her family, tea consoles; for the Wells and their set, it's a ceremony, observed like everything else, with rigid formality.
- ‘We want to break down the formality, but retain high standards,’ Sankey explains.
- Michael did not suffer fools gladly and could seem aloof and distant at times, but this was his rather old-world formality.
- Social interaction is governed by norms emphasizing respect and formality and marking age, gender, status, and class differences.
- They were also the evolutionary years that bridged the gap between the rigid formality of the Edwardian styles and the ultimate changes that led to the knee-length dresses of 1926.
- However, such benefits may come at a cost as a rigid formality may conflict with deeply held professional values such as autonomy, solidarity, flexibility, and a belief in tacit knowledge.
- Renowned for her light-hearted disregard of formality, kicking off her shoes and chewing gum at meetings, she is reputed to have removed her wig to break the tension during key meetings.
- ‘That was the last era where there were rules of etiquette, when there was still an element of formality,’ Maggie says.
- He travels frequently to remote places to absorb, notate and record rare indigenous musics, then transform them for the manicured formality of the Western concert hall.
- Do we not sense a paradox here, in such procedural sameness and rigid formality applied to nature's bounteous diversity?
- However, the general pattern of double dependence on social status and formality is maintained.
- Country house hotels promote this informal formality by eschewing hotel conventions such as reception desks and by ensuring that all drinks, meals and sundries are included in the per-night fee.
- Here, one must maintain discipline, proper etiquette, and formality.
- On the other hand, expressions must have a minimal formality in order to be understandable at all.
- However, all are divided into different levels of formality depending on the social status of the person being addressed.
- Undoubtedly the human animal in his/her social interactions feels safer when a certain degree of formality is observed.
- A new sweetness pervades daily life and replaces the coldness and formality of familial relationships under aristocracy.
- Etiquette and formality are the antiquated attributes that make her readers swoon.
1. 1.1 Strictly conventional behaviour.
  with disconcerting formality the brothers shook hands
  兄弟俩握了手，其拘谨状令人困惑不解。
  Example sentencesExamples
  She stood with a rigid formality, but her eyes were vacant and her lips moved silently.
  As a beginning teacher, I cultivated an ethos of formality and distance.
  Shirley was always disturbed by the formality he displayed in front of her brother, though she said nothing of it.
  She didn't like that - the way his sudden formality put distance between them.
  He bowed to her, in the distant formality of the rich, and then laughed as his hand caught on his sword, spoiling the movement.
  Synonyms
  ceremony, ceremoniousness, ritual, conventionality, red tape, protocol, decorum
  stateliness, courtliness, solemnity, etiquette
  aloofness, reserve, remoteness, detachment, unapproachability, stand-offishness
  stiffness, primness, stuffiness, staidness, correctness, decorum, punctiliousness, inflexibility
  reticence, taciturnity
  antisocial nature
2. 1.2usually formalitiescount noun A thing that is done simply to comply with convention, regulations, or custom.
  礼节；正式手续；俗套
  legal formalities
  法律手续。
  Example sentencesExamples
  They may hold conventions, but these are mostly formalities to endorse a decision that the party bosses have made.
  Once I complete the formalities in Florida, I think I'll stay back a day or two and enjoy the weather.
  The clinics also did not fulfil the formalities required under the PNDT Act.
  The details of the patent itself are being kept a closely guarded secret, pending completion of the legal formalities.
  However, it would not be until the paper works and formalities are completed that these boats are sent home.
  In the past, customs regulations and formalities were cumbersome and this resulted in freight delays.
  Bob and Vic have not completed the entry paperwork formalities and have not registered as required.
  Legal formalities in accident cases should be simplified so that people will not turn away.
  However, he has to comply with certain formalities before he is entitled to enforce this right.
  Why all the formalities and petty regulations, if one is supposed to become free?
  Refreshments were also served following the formalities of the evening.
  However, the formalities were completed after a long wait of over nine hours at 7 on Sunday morning.
  They have never had to follow the rules and formalities normally required of border crossers.
  By the time we cleared immigration and customs formalities and took a van to Makkah it was past midnight.
  The formalities take just moments, and you are whisked aboard to be greeted by a cabin steward ready to take your hand luggage and show you to your suite.
  Only after completing all these formalities can the supplier sell his goods to the industries at the CSEZ.
  After the formalities there was free admission to some of the rides with the mayor and his official party eagerly followed by local children.
  It was a clinical but not brutal performance, one in which Hewitt did everything right, right down to the formalities at the end of the match.
  The bureaucratic red tape and formalities that one has to go through is the source of frustration to everyone who lives here.
  Was it simply the pressure to follow the formalities of the UN road?
  Synonyms
  official procedure, rule, regulation, convention, ritual, custom, matter of form, formal gesture
  bureaucracy, red tape, paperwork, form, punctilio, protocol
3. 1.3a formality Something done or happening as a matter of course and without question.
  免不了的俗套，必走的形式
  promotion looks a formality
  晋升手续看上去是必须履行的。
  Example sentencesExamples
  The matter was only a formality for the members at the UDC as they are fully refunded by the Department of the Environment.
  While this move was presented by Swapo as a procedural formality, observers agreed that it reflected strong internal differences.
  That Iceland's team has been hewn from a nation of just 290,000 people is unlikely to encourage Vogts, who has proved already that overcoming the might of a small fishing community is no formality.
  And typically, these committee questionnaires are really a formality.
  This nomination was seen as a formality by observers.
  The question was merely a formality; the answer was obvious.
  It was, in my case, mainly a formality, but a formality that raised important questions that I promised myself I would revisit someday.
  The family drops by often; so much so, in fact, that knocking on the door is a formality they no longer observe.
  Synonyms
  routine, routine practice, normal procedure
  matter of course, foregone conclusion, inevitability, certainty, racing certainty
  informal sure thing

Origin

Mid 16th century (in the sense 'accordance with legal rules or conventions'): from French formalité or medieval Latin formalitas, from formalis (see formal).

Definition of formality in US English:

formality

nounfôrˈmalədēfɔrˈmælədi

1The rigid observance of rules of convention or etiquette.
拘泥形式，遵守礼节
he retained the formality of his social background
Example sentencesExamples
- However, the general pattern of double dependence on social status and formality is maintained.
- Here, one must maintain discipline, proper etiquette, and formality.
- For Vera and her family, tea consoles; for the Wells and their set, it's a ceremony, observed like everything else, with rigid formality.
- Country house hotels promote this informal formality by eschewing hotel conventions such as reception desks and by ensuring that all drinks, meals and sundries are included in the per-night fee.
- ‘That was the last era where there were rules of etiquette, when there was still an element of formality,’ Maggie says.
- Do we not sense a paradox here, in such procedural sameness and rigid formality applied to nature's bounteous diversity?
- However, such benefits may come at a cost as a rigid formality may conflict with deeply held professional values such as autonomy, solidarity, flexibility, and a belief in tacit knowledge.
- Renowned for her light-hearted disregard of formality, kicking off her shoes and chewing gum at meetings, she is reputed to have removed her wig to break the tension during key meetings.
- A new sweetness pervades daily life and replaces the coldness and formality of familial relationships under aristocracy.
- Social interaction is governed by norms emphasizing respect and formality and marking age, gender, status, and class differences.
- ‘We want to break down the formality, but retain high standards,’ Sankey explains.
- Rigid self-control went hand-in-hand with a precise and exacting formality.
- Michael did not suffer fools gladly and could seem aloof and distant at times, but this was his rather old-world formality.
- Etiquette and formality are the antiquated attributes that make her readers swoon.
- There are no traditional rules or rigid formality or fairy tale settings involving tormented love between a man and woman.
- On the other hand, expressions must have a minimal formality in order to be understandable at all.
- He travels frequently to remote places to absorb, notate and record rare indigenous musics, then transform them for the manicured formality of the Western concert hall.
- Undoubtedly the human animal in his/her social interactions feels safer when a certain degree of formality is observed.
- They were also the evolutionary years that bridged the gap between the rigid formality of the Edwardian styles and the ultimate changes that led to the knee-length dresses of 1926.
- However, all are divided into different levels of formality depending on the social status of the person being addressed.
1. 1.1 Stiffness of behavior or style.
  （行为，风格）拘谨，僵硬
  with disconcerting formality the brothers shook hands
  兄弟俩握了手，其拘谨状令人困惑不解。
  Example sentencesExamples
  She didn't like that - the way his sudden formality put distance between them.
  Shirley was always disturbed by the formality he displayed in front of her brother, though she said nothing of it.
  As a beginning teacher, I cultivated an ethos of formality and distance.
  He bowed to her, in the distant formality of the rich, and then laughed as his hand caught on his sword, spoiling the movement.
  She stood with a rigid formality, but her eyes were vacant and her lips moved silently.
  Synonyms
  ceremony, ceremoniousness, ritual, conventionality, red tape, protocol, decorum
  aloofness, reserve, remoteness, detachment, unapproachability, stand-offishness
2. 1.2usually formalities A thing that is done simply to comply with requirements of etiquette, regulations, or custom.
  礼节；正式手续；俗套
  legal formalities
  法律手续。
  Example sentencesExamples
  The details of the patent itself are being kept a closely guarded secret, pending completion of the legal formalities.
  The clinics also did not fulfil the formalities required under the PNDT Act.
  However, he has to comply with certain formalities before he is entitled to enforce this right.
  In the past, customs regulations and formalities were cumbersome and this resulted in freight delays.
  They may hold conventions, but these are mostly formalities to endorse a decision that the party bosses have made.
  Refreshments were also served following the formalities of the evening.
  Once I complete the formalities in Florida, I think I'll stay back a day or two and enjoy the weather.
  They have never had to follow the rules and formalities normally required of border crossers.
  The formalities take just moments, and you are whisked aboard to be greeted by a cabin steward ready to take your hand luggage and show you to your suite.
  However, it would not be until the paper works and formalities are completed that these boats are sent home.
  Was it simply the pressure to follow the formalities of the UN road?
  After the formalities there was free admission to some of the rides with the mayor and his official party eagerly followed by local children.
  The bureaucratic red tape and formalities that one has to go through is the source of frustration to everyone who lives here.
  Why all the formalities and petty regulations, if one is supposed to become free?
  By the time we cleared immigration and customs formalities and took a van to Makkah it was past midnight.
  Only after completing all these formalities can the supplier sell his goods to the industries at the CSEZ.
  Legal formalities in accident cases should be simplified so that people will not turn away.
  However, the formalities were completed after a long wait of over nine hours at 7 on Sunday morning.
  Bob and Vic have not completed the entry paperwork formalities and have not registered as required.
  It was a clinical but not brutal performance, one in which Hewitt did everything right, right down to the formalities at the end of the match.
  Synonyms
  official procedure, rule, regulation, convention, ritual, custom, matter of form, formal gesture
3. 1.3a formality Something that is done as a matter of course and without question; an inevitability.
  免不了的俗套，必走的形式
  her saying no was just a formality, and both of them knew it
  Example sentencesExamples
  While this move was presented by Swapo as a procedural formality, observers agreed that it reflected strong internal differences.
  This nomination was seen as a formality by observers.
  The family drops by often; so much so, in fact, that knocking on the door is a formality they no longer observe.
  And typically, these committee questionnaires are really a formality.
  The matter was only a formality for the members at the UDC as they are fully refunded by the Department of the Environment.
  It was, in my case, mainly a formality, but a formality that raised important questions that I promised myself I would revisit someday.
  The question was merely a formality; the answer was obvious.
  That Iceland's team has been hewn from a nation of just 290,000 people is unlikely to encourage Vogts, who has proved already that overcoming the might of a small fishing community is no formality.
  Synonyms
  routine, routine practice, normal procedure
  matter of course, foregone conclusion, inevitability, certainty, racing certainty

Origin

Mid 16th century (in the sense ‘accordance with legal rules or conventions’): from French formalité or medieval Latin formalitas, from formalis (see formal).

词汇	formality
释义	Definition of formality in English: formality nounPlural formalities fɔːˈmalɪtifɔrˈmælədi mass noun 1The rigid observance of convention or etiquette. 拘泥形式，遵守礼节 the formality of life in an English public school 英国公学（私立寄宿学校）的拘谨生活。 Example sentencesExamples There are no traditional rules or rigid formality or fairy tale settings involving tormented love between a man and woman. Rigid self-control went hand-in-hand with a precise and exacting formality. For Vera and her family, tea consoles; for the Wells and their set, it's a ceremony, observed like everything else, with rigid formality. ‘We want to break down the formality, but retain high standards,’ Sankey explains. Michael did not suffer fools gladly and could seem aloof and distant at times, but this was his rather old-world formality. Social interaction is governed by norms emphasizing respect and formality and marking age, gender, status, and class differences. They were also the evolutionary years that bridged the gap between the rigid formality of the Edwardian styles and the ultimate changes that led to the knee-length dresses of 1926. However, such benefits may come at a cost as a rigid formality may conflict with deeply held professional values such as autonomy, solidarity, flexibility, and a belief in tacit knowledge. Renowned for her light-hearted disregard of formality, kicking off her shoes and chewing gum at meetings, she is reputed to have removed her wig to break the tension during key meetings. ‘That was the last era where there were rules of etiquette, when there was still an element of formality,’ Maggie says. He travels frequently to remote places to absorb, notate and record rare indigenous musics, then transform them for the manicured formality of the Western concert hall. Do we not sense a paradox here, in such procedural sameness and rigid formality applied to nature's bounteous diversity? However, the general pattern of double dependence on social status and formality is maintained. Country house hotels promote this informal formality by eschewing hotel conventions such as reception desks and by ensuring that all drinks, meals and sundries are included in the per-night fee. Here, one must maintain discipline, proper etiquette, and formality. On the other hand, expressions must have a minimal formality in order to be understandable at all. However, all are divided into different levels of formality depending on the social status of the person being addressed. Undoubtedly the human animal in his/her social interactions feels safer when a certain degree of formality is observed. A new sweetness pervades daily life and replaces the coldness and formality of familial relationships under aristocracy. Etiquette and formality are the antiquated attributes that make her readers swoon. 1.1 Strictly conventional behaviour. with disconcerting formality the brothers shook hands 兄弟俩握了手，其拘谨状令人困惑不解。 Example sentencesExamples She stood with a rigid formality, but her eyes were vacant and her lips moved silently. As a beginning teacher, I cultivated an ethos of formality and distance. Shirley was always disturbed by the formality he displayed in front of her brother, though she said nothing of it. She didn't like that - the way his sudden formality put distance between them. He bowed to her, in the distant formality of the rich, and then laughed as his hand caught on his sword, spoiling the movement. Synonyms ceremony, ceremoniousness, ritual, conventionality, red tape, protocol, decorum stateliness, courtliness, solemnity, etiquette aloofness, reserve, remoteness, detachment, unapproachability, stand-offishness stiffness, primness, stuffiness, staidness, correctness, decorum, punctiliousness, inflexibility reticence, taciturnity antisocial nature 1.2usually formalitiescount noun A thing that is done simply to comply with convention, regulations, or custom. 礼节；正式手续；俗套 legal formalities 法律手续。 Example sentencesExamples They may hold conventions, but these are mostly formalities to endorse a decision that the party bosses have made. Once I complete the formalities in Florida, I think I'll stay back a day or two and enjoy the weather. The clinics also did not fulfil the formalities required under the PNDT Act. The details of the patent itself are being kept a closely guarded secret, pending completion of the legal formalities. However, it would not be until the paper works and formalities are completed that these boats are sent home. In the past, customs regulations and formalities were cumbersome and this resulted in freight delays. Bob and Vic have not completed the entry paperwork formalities and have not registered as required. Legal formalities in accident cases should be simplified so that people will not turn away. However, he has to comply with certain formalities before he is entitled to enforce this right. Why all the formalities and petty regulations, if one is supposed to become free? Refreshments were also served following the formalities of the evening. However, the formalities were completed after a long wait of over nine hours at 7 on Sunday morning. They have never had to follow the rules and formalities normally required of border crossers. By the time we cleared immigration and customs formalities and took a van to Makkah it was past midnight. The formalities take just moments, and you are whisked aboard to be greeted by a cabin steward ready to take your hand luggage and show you to your suite. Only after completing all these formalities can the supplier sell his goods to the industries at the CSEZ. After the formalities there was free admission to some of the rides with the mayor and his official party eagerly followed by local children. It was a clinical but not brutal performance, one in which Hewitt did everything right, right down to the formalities at the end of the match. The bureaucratic red tape and formalities that one has to go through is the source of frustration to everyone who lives here. Was it simply the pressure to follow the formalities of the UN road? Synonyms official procedure, rule, regulation, convention, ritual, custom, matter of form, formal gesture bureaucracy, red tape, paperwork, form, punctilio, protocol 1.3a formality Something done or happening as a matter of course and without question. 免不了的俗套，必走的形式 promotion looks a formality 晋升手续看上去是必须履行的。 Example sentencesExamples The matter was only a formality for the members at the UDC as they are fully refunded by the Department of the Environment. While this move was presented by Swapo as a procedural formality, observers agreed that it reflected strong internal differences. That Iceland's team has been hewn from a nation of just 290,000 people is unlikely to encourage Vogts, who has proved already that overcoming the might of a small fishing community is no formality. And typically, these committee questionnaires are really a formality. This nomination was seen as a formality by observers. The question was merely a formality; the answer was obvious. It was, in my case, mainly a formality, but a formality that raised important questions that I promised myself I would revisit someday. The family drops by often; so much so, in fact, that knocking on the door is a formality they no longer observe. Synonyms routine, routine practice, normal procedure matter of course, foregone conclusion, inevitability, certainty, racing certainty informal sure thing Origin Mid 16th century (in the sense 'accordance with legal rules or conventions'): from French formalité or medieval Latin formalitas, from formalis (see formal). Definition of formality in US English: formality nounfôrˈmalədēfɔrˈmælədi 1The rigid observance of rules of convention or etiquette. 拘泥形式，遵守礼节 he retained the formality of his social background Example sentencesExamples However, the general pattern of double dependence on social status and formality is maintained. Here, one must maintain discipline, proper etiquette, and formality. For Vera and her family, tea consoles; for the Wells and their set, it's a ceremony, observed like everything else, with rigid formality. Country house hotels promote this informal formality by eschewing hotel conventions such as reception desks and by ensuring that all drinks, meals and sundries are included in the per-night fee. ‘That was the last era where there were rules of etiquette, when there was still an element of formality,’ Maggie says. Do we not sense a paradox here, in such procedural sameness and rigid formality applied to nature's bounteous diversity? However, such benefits may come at a cost as a rigid formality may conflict with deeply held professional values such as autonomy, solidarity, flexibility, and a belief in tacit knowledge. Renowned for her light-hearted disregard of formality, kicking off her shoes and chewing gum at meetings, she is reputed to have removed her wig to break the tension during key meetings. A new sweetness pervades daily life and replaces the coldness and formality of familial relationships under aristocracy. Social interaction is governed by norms emphasizing respect and formality and marking age, gender, status, and class differences. ‘We want to break down the formality, but retain high standards,’ Sankey explains. Rigid self-control went hand-in-hand with a precise and exacting formality. Michael did not suffer fools gladly and could seem aloof and distant at times, but this was his rather old-world formality. Etiquette and formality are the antiquated attributes that make her readers swoon. There are no traditional rules or rigid formality or fairy tale settings involving tormented love between a man and woman. On the other hand, expressions must have a minimal formality in order to be understandable at all. He travels frequently to remote places to absorb, notate and record rare indigenous musics, then transform them for the manicured formality of the Western concert hall. Undoubtedly the human animal in his/her social interactions feels safer when a certain degree of formality is observed. They were also the evolutionary years that bridged the gap between the rigid formality of the Edwardian styles and the ultimate changes that led to the knee-length dresses of 1926. However, all are divided into different levels of formality depending on the social status of the person being addressed. 1.1 Stiffness of behavior or style. （行为，风格）拘谨，僵硬 with disconcerting formality the brothers shook hands 兄弟俩握了手，其拘谨状令人困惑不解。 Example sentencesExamples She didn't like that - the way his sudden formality put distance between them. Shirley was always disturbed by the formality he displayed in front of her brother, though she said nothing of it. As a beginning teacher, I cultivated an ethos of formality and distance. He bowed to her, in the distant formality of the rich, and then laughed as his hand caught on his sword, spoiling the movement. She stood with a rigid formality, but her eyes were vacant and her lips moved silently. Synonyms ceremony, ceremoniousness, ritual, conventionality, red tape, protocol, decorum aloofness, reserve, remoteness, detachment, unapproachability, stand-offishness 1.2usually formalities A thing that is done simply to comply with requirements of etiquette, regulations, or custom. 礼节；正式手续；俗套 legal formalities 法律手续。 Example sentencesExamples The details of the patent itself are being kept a closely guarded secret, pending completion of the legal formalities. The clinics also did not fulfil the formalities required under the PNDT Act. However, he has to comply with certain formalities before he is entitled to enforce this right. In the past, customs regulations and formalities were cumbersome and this resulted in freight delays. They may hold conventions, but these are mostly formalities to endorse a decision that the party bosses have made. Refreshments were also served following the formalities of the evening. Once I complete the formalities in Florida, I think I'll stay back a day or two and enjoy the weather. They have never had to follow the rules and formalities normally required of border crossers. The formalities take just moments, and you are whisked aboard to be greeted by a cabin steward ready to take your hand luggage and show you to your suite. However, it would not be until the paper works and formalities are completed that these boats are sent home. Was it simply the pressure to follow the formalities of the UN road? After the formalities there was free admission to some of the rides with the mayor and his official party eagerly followed by local children. The bureaucratic red tape and formalities that one has to go through is the source of frustration to everyone who lives here. Why all the formalities and petty regulations, if one is supposed to become free? By the time we cleared immigration and customs formalities and took a van to Makkah it was past midnight. Only after completing all these formalities can the supplier sell his goods to the industries at the CSEZ. Legal formalities in accident cases should be simplified so that people will not turn away. However, the formalities were completed after a long wait of over nine hours at 7 on Sunday morning. Bob and Vic have not completed the entry paperwork formalities and have not registered as required. It was a clinical but not brutal performance, one in which Hewitt did everything right, right down to the formalities at the end of the match. Synonyms official procedure, rule, regulation, convention, ritual, custom, matter of form, formal gesture 1.3a formality Something that is done as a matter of course and without question; an inevitability. 免不了的俗套，必走的形式 her saying no was just a formality, and both of them knew it Example sentencesExamples While this move was presented by Swapo as a procedural formality, observers agreed that it reflected strong internal differences. This nomination was seen as a formality by observers. The family drops by often; so much so, in fact, that knocking on the door is a formality they no longer observe. And typically, these committee questionnaires are really a formality. The matter was only a formality for the members at the UDC as they are fully refunded by the Department of the Environment. It was, in my case, mainly a formality, but a formality that raised important questions that I promised myself I would revisit someday. The question was merely a formality; the answer was obvious. That Iceland's team has been hewn from a nation of just 290,000 people is unlikely to encourage Vogts, who has proved already that overcoming the might of a small fishing community is no formality. Synonyms routine, routine practice, normal procedure matter of course, foregone conclusion, inevitability, certainty, racing certainty Origin Mid 16th century (in the sense ‘accordance with legal rules or conventions’): from French formalité or medieval Latin formalitas, from formalis (see formal).
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