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Glite Dictionary
idiomatical

idiomatical

9.5
Like the natural way people speak or write in a language
  • adjective
  • /ˌɪdiəˈmætɪkəl/
translation icon : idiomático
  • His style is more idiomatical than literal, capturing the true spirit of the original text.

Examples

  • The translator struggled to find an idiomatical equivalent in the target language.

  • Is this sentence idiomatical in English?

  • Her speech was remarkably idiomatical for a non-native speaker.

  • Her speech was filled with idiomatical phrases that captivated the audience.

  • Her speech was remarkably idiomatical for a non-native speaker, showing her deep understanding of the language.

  • The translator struggled to find an idiomatical equivalent that would make sense to native speakers.

  • His writing style is very idiomatical, incorporating phrases that are commonly used by native English speakers.

Synonyms

idiomatic
vsidiomatical
4 7.2

To use natural words and phrases like a native speaker

is the alternative form with identical meaning

How Idiomatic

idiomatical
9.5
natural
660 1.0
unidiomatic
  • Specialized
8.2

Surface Forms

idiomatical positive

Morphology

idiomatical = idiomatic (transparent) = idiom + atic + al

The adjective 'idiomatical' is a straightforward extension of 'idiomatic' by the suffix '-al' (a minor stylistic/variant formation), so the meaning is directly derived from 'idiom' → 'idiomatic' → 'idiomatical'.

Etymology

The word idiomatical comes from an old Greek word idiōma meaning 'a special or personal way of speaking' and shares this root with the common word idiom. That's why something idiomatical uses the natural, usual expressions of a language rather than a 'word-for-word' translation.