# formally

Pronunciation: US say "FOR-muh-lee" /ˈfɔɹ.mə.li/; say "FAW-muh-lee" UK /ˈfɔː.mə.li/, AUS /ˈfoː.mə.li/

## Adverb

1. In a way that follows official procedure.
   - Simple: In the official way, by following the proper steps.
   - _The mayor will formally announce her candidacy at a rally on Monday._
   - _The two countries formally ended the war when they signed the treaty._
2. In a manner that is formal rather than casual or relaxed.
   - Simple: In a neat and proper way, not a casual one.
   - _The guests were dressed more formally than the hosts had expected._
   - _She addressed the old professor formally, as Dr. Hale, even after years of friendship._
3. In a way that follows a set of rigorous rules exactly.
   - Simple: By following strict rules very carefully and exactly.
   - _Many people had checked the theorem, but no one had formally proved it._
   - _The language is formally defined, so every program has exactly one meaning._

## Origin

Formed from formal + -ly.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/formally (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).