formalité

formality

noun for-mah-lee-TAY Rare

Usage Note

Formalité is feminine. It commonly appears in the phrase ce n'est qu'une formalité ('it's just a formality'), used when a bureaucratic step is seen as routine or trivial. The plural formalités typically refers to required administrative procedures — remplir les formalités douanières (to complete customs formalities).

Examples

"Ce visa est une simple formalité."

Natural Translation

This visa is a mere formality.

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