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Neologism vs Colloquial - What's the difference?

neologism | colloquial |

In linguistics terms the difference between neologism and colloquial

is that neologism is a word or phrase which has recently been coined; a new word or phrase while colloquial is denoting a manner of speaking or writing that is characteristic of familiar conversation; informal.

As a noun neologism

is a word or phrase which has recently been coined; a new word or phrase.

As an adjective colloquial is

denoting a manner of speaking or writing that is characteristic of familiar conversation; informal.

neologism

Noun

  • (linguistics) A word or phrase which has recently been coined; a new word or phrase.
  • (linguistics, uncountable) The act or instance of coining, or uttering a new word.
  • (psychiatry) The newly coined, meaningless words or phrases of someone with a psychosis, usually schizophrenia.
  • Usage notes

    For a word to be no longer considered new, it needs to be understood by a significant portion of the population as having always been a valid word. For that to occur the word must have been in common use for approximately one generation — fifteen to twenty years — but there is no universally accepted measure.

    Synonyms

    * coinage

    Antonyms

    * paleologism

    Derived terms

    * diffused neologism * stable neologism

    See also

    * protologism * vogue words *

    References

    * The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style. Bryan A. Garner. Oxford University Press, 2000. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. 21 June 2006 * The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

    colloquial

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (linguistics) Denoting a manner of speaking or writing that is characteristic of familiar conversation; informal.
  • Of or pertaining to a conversation; conversational or chatty.
  • Usage notes

    Note that while colloquy and colloquium refer to formal'' conversation, colloquial refers instead specifically to ''informal conversation.

    Synonyms

    *

    Derived terms

    * colloquialism * colloquially * colloquialness * colloquiality