idiomatical

Idiomatical is an adjective related to idioms or idiomatic expressions. In modern usage, the preferred form is idiomatic; idiomatical is rarely used and is often considered archaic or regional. When used, it generally describes language, expressions, or constructions that rely on established idioms rather than literal meaning.

The term derives from idiom, with the suffix -al forming an adjective. Historically, idiomatical appeared in older grammars and writings as the regular adjectival form, but over time idiomatic became the standard in most varieties of English. In contemporary dictionaries, idiomatical is typically listed as obsolete or chiefly of historical interest, though it may still be encountered in older texts or in some regional usages.

In practice, idioms are fixed or semi-fixed phrases whose meanings are not deducible from their individual words. An idiomatical expression would be one that embodies or employs such idioms. Writers discuss idiomaticity to describe how closely language matches natural native usage, including the extent to which phrases are understood idiomatically rather than literally. For example, phrases like “kick the bucket” or “spill the beans” are idioms; saying a speaker uses language idiomatically means they employ such expressions appropriately for the idiomatic conventions of the target language.

Related terms include idiom, idiomatic, phraseology, and fixed expression. While idiomatic is the standard contemporary adjective, idiomatical appears in older or specialized texts and is generally avoided in modern editing.