Definition
Characteristic of or specific to a particular language, dialect, or person's manner of speaking; using expressions that are natural to native speakers but not necessarily translatable word-for-word. Idiomatic language relies on conventional meanings and cultural context rather than literal word definitions.
Example Usage
She wrote in an idiomatic style, using English phrases and slang that felt authentic to American speakers.
Origin
From Greek idioma meaning 'peculiar phraseology,' derived from idios (one's own, private, particular).
Fun Fact
Idioms are notoriously difficult for non-native speakers and machine translation systems because they cannot be understood by translating individual words.
Source: Definition backfill (hailey)
Related Terms
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See “Idiomatic” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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