casualize

Casualize is a verb meaning to make something casual or to adapt it to a casual style. It can refer to attire, language, procedures, or other practices that shift from formal to informal.

In fashion and workplace culture, casualizing a dress code or environment means allowing informal clothes and relaxed norms. In language and communication, casualize denotes loosening formality of speech or writing, moving from a formal register toward a conversational tone. In design and media, the term can describe efforts to casualize interfaces, tutorials, or content to reduce perceived barriers to use or understanding.

Etymology and usage: casualize is formed from the adjective casual plus the productive English suffix -ize. The adjective casual itself traces to Latin casualis via Old French and entered English well before the modern verb form. The verb casualize appears in contemporary English mainly in discussions of style, culture, and user experience, and is more common in industry and academic writing than in everyday speech.

See also: informality, casual, de-formalize, simplification, user experience.