vernacular (B2)

noun

Pronunciation: /vərˈnæk.jə.lər/

Definition

The everyday language spoken by people in a particular country or region, as opposed to a formal or literary language.

Examples

• The professor argued that students should be allowed to write essays in their native vernacular.

• Many ancient texts were translated from Latin into the vernacular to make them accessible to ordinary people.

• The comedian's jokes often relied on regional vernacular and slang that only locals would understand.

Synonyms of vernacular

Words with a similar meaning to vernacular:

• dialect
• colloquialism
• lingua franca
• mother tongue

Antonyms of vernacular

Words with the opposite meaning to vernacular:

• formal language
• standard language

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary