Read the following paragraph.

Macy was nervous. She had never attended such a formal dinner before. People were speaking in low voices. The matching plates, bowls, glasses, and cutlery were laid out perfectly. Macy had no idea which of the two forks she needed to use first. Dinner at her house was always relaxed with everyone talking and laughing loudly about the events of the day. Most of the time their plates didn’t even match, and the napkins were always made of paper. Macy took the cloth napkin and placed it on her lap, just like she had just seen her friend do. So far, so good. Hopefully, she could copy her friend for the rest of dinner.

Use the context clues to find the definition for the word formal as it is used in this paragraph.

prim and proper
laid-back
conventional
regular

prim and proper

The definition for the word "formal" as it is used in this paragraph is "prim and proper".

Based on the context clues in the paragraph, the definition for the word "formal" as it is used here is "prim and proper." The paragraph describes the dinner as being formal, with people speaking in low voices and the table set with matching plates, bowls, glasses, and cutlery laid out perfectly. Macy, who is not used to such formality, is nervous and unsure about which fork to use. Additionally, the contrast is made between this formal dinner and the relaxed atmosphere of Macy's usual dinners at home, where plates don't even match and napkins are made of paper.