form

[ fawrm ]

/ fɔrm /

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See synonyms for: form / formed / forming / forms on Thesaurus.com

noun

external appearance of a clearly defined area, as distinguished from color or material; configuration: a triangular form.

the shape of a thing or person.

a body, especially that of a human being.

a dummy having the same measurements as a human body, used for fitting or displaying clothing: a dressmaker's form.

something that gives or determines shape; a mold.

a particular condition, character, or mode in which something appears: water in the form of ice.

the manner or style of arranging and coordinating parts for a pleasing or effective result, as in literary or musical composition: a unique form for the novel.

Fine Arts.

the organization, placement, or relationship of basic elements, as lines and colors in a painting or volumes and voids in a sculpture, so as to produce a coherent image; the formal structure of a work of art.
three-dimensional quality or volume, as of a represented object or anatomical part.
an object, person, or part of the human body or the appearance of any of these, especially as seen in nature: His work is characterized by the radical distortion of the human form.

any assemblage of things of a similar kind constituting a component of a group, especially of a zoological group.

Crystallography. the combination of all the like faces possible on a crystal of given symmetry.

due or proper shape; orderly arrangement of parts; good order.

Philosophy.

the structure, pattern, organization, or essential nature of anything.
structure or pattern as distinguished from matter.
(initial capital letter)Platonism. idea (def. 7c).
Aristotelianism. that which places a thing in its particular species or kind.

Logic. the abstract relations of terms in a proposition, and of propositions to one another.

a set, prescribed, or customary order or method of doing something.

a set order of words, as for use in religious ritual or in a legal document: a form for initiating new members.

a document with blank spaces to be filled in with particulars before it is executed: a tax form.

a typical document to be used as a guide in framing others for like cases: a form for a deed.

a conventional method of procedure or behavior: society's forms.

a formality or ceremony, often with implication of absence of real meaning: to go through the outward forms of a religious wedding.

procedure according to a set order or method.

conformity to the usages of society; formality; ceremony: the elaborate forms prevalent in the courts of renaissance kings.

procedure or conduct, as judged by social standards: Such behavior is very bad form.Good form demands that we go.

manner or method of performing something; technique: The violin soloist displayed tremendous form.

physical condition or fitness, as for performing: a tennis player in peak form.

Grammar.

a word, part of a word, or group of words forming a construction that recurs in various contexts in a language with relatively constant meaning.Compare linguistic form.
a particular shape of such a form that occurs in more than one shape. In I'm, 'm is a form of am.
a word with a particular inflectional ending or other modification. Goes is a form of go.

Linguistics. the shape or pattern of a word or other construction (distinguished from substance).

Building Trades. temporary boarding or sheeting of plywood or metal for giving a desired shape to poured concrete, rammed earth, etc.

a grade or class of pupils in a British secondary school or in certain U.S. private schools: boys in the fourth form.

British. a bench or long seat.

British Informal. a criminal record: She didn't want to believe that her own mother had form.

Also British, forme. Printing. an assemblage of types, leads, etc., secured in a chase to print from.

verb (used with object)

to construct or frame.

to make or produce.

to serve to make up; serve as; compose; constitute: The remaining members will form the program committee.

to place in order; arrange; organize.

to frame (ideas, opinions, etc.) in the mind.

to contract or develop (habits, friendships, etc.).

to give form or shape to; shape; fashion.

to give a particular form or shape to; fashion in a particular manner: Form the dough into squares.

to mold or develop by discipline or instructions: The sergeant's job was to form boys into men.

Grammar.

to make (a derivation) by some grammatical change: The suffix “-ly” forms adverbs from adjectives.
to have (a grammatical feature) represented in a particular shape: English forms plurals in “-s”.

Military. to draw up in lines or in formation.

verb (used without object)

to take or assume form.

to be formed or produced: Ice began to form on the window.

to take a particular form or arrangement: The ice formed in patches across the window.

OTHER WORDS FOR form

1 mold, conformation.

5 model, pattern.

9 sort, kind, order, type.

14 ceremony, ritual, formula, formality, rule.

16 blank.

19, 20 system, mode, practice, formula.

32 model, fabricate, mold, forge, outline.

33 create.

35 systematize, dispose.

40 teach, educate, train.

See synonyms for form on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR form

1 substance.

See antonyms for form on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of form

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English forme, from Old French, from Latin forma “form, figure, model, mold, sort,” Medieval Latin: “seat”

synonym study for form

1. Form, figure, outline, shape refer to an appearance that can be recognized. Form, figure, and shape are often used to mean an area defined by contour without regard to other identifying qualities, as color or material. Outline refers to the line that delimits a form, figure, or shape: the outline of a hill. Form often includes a sense of mass or volume: a solid form. Shape may refer to an outline or a form: an “S” shape; a woman's shape. Figure often refers to a form or shape determined by its outline: the figure eight. Form and shape may also be applied to abstractions: the shape or form of the future. Form is applied to physical objects, mental images, methods of procedure, etc.; it is a more inclusive term than either shape or figure : the form of a cross, of a ceremony, of a poem.

OTHER WORDS FROM form

form·a·ble, adjectiveform·a·bly, adverbhalf-formed, adjectivemis·form, verb

mis·formed, adjectivenon·form, nounnon·form·ing, adjectiveo·ver·formed, adjectiveself-formed, adjectivesem·i·formed, adjectivesub·form, nounun·der·form, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH form

form , forum

Other definitions for form (2 of 2)

-form

a combining form meaning “having the form of”: cruciform.

Origin of -form

From the Latin suffix -fōrmis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WORDS THAT USE -FORM

What does -form mean?

The combining form –form is used like a suffix meaning “having the form of.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.

The form –form comes from Latin –fōrmis, meaning “having the form of.” The equivalent combining form from Greek is –morphous, from morphḗ, meaning “form.”

What are variants of –form?

When used to create the taxonomic names of animals, the form –form becomes –iformes, as in Lorisiformes. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on –iformes.

Examples of -form

One example of a scientific term that features the form –form is dentiform, “having the form of a tooth; tooth-shaped.”

The form denti– may look familiar. It means “tooth,” from Latin dēns. As we have seen, –form means “having the form of.” Dentiform literally translates to “having the form of a tooth.”

What are some words that use the combining form –form?

aciform
fungiform
oviform
pediform
piniform
vermiform (using the equivalent form of –form in Latin)

What are some other forms that –form may be commonly confused with?

Break it down!

The combining form pedi– means “foot.” With this in mind, what does pediform mean?

How to use form in a sentence

The same Pediatrics journal notes that 17 states have some form of exception to the standard parental consent requirement.
Should Teens Have The Right To Die?|Brandy Zadrozny|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I mean, physically, mentally, you know, in every way, shape, and form.
I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003|Vicky Ward|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And with regular clients that see him at least twice a month, relationships inevitably form.
Career-Minded Women Turn to Male Escorts For No-Strings Fun and (Maybe) Sex|Aurora Snow|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I ask Atefeh and Monir if they see dancing as a form of income in the future, a potential career.
Iran’s Becoming a Footloose Nation as Dance Lessons Spread|IranWire|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST

But probably because we co-edited the Deadline Artists anthologies with our friend Jesse Angelo, we feel a fidelity to the form.
The Best Columns of 2014|John Avlon, Errol Louis|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Practise gliding in the form of inflection, or slide, from one extreme of pitch to another.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
The supernaturalist alleges that religion was revealed to man by God, and that the form of this revelation is a sacred book.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
Arches more graceful in form, or better fitted to defy the assaults of time, I have never seen.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
As company after company appeared, we were able to form a pretty exact estimate of their numbers.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
And remember it is by our hypothesis the best possible form and arrangement of that lesson.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

British Dictionary definitions for form (1 of 3)

form

/ (fɔːm) /

noun

the shape or configuration of something as distinct from its colour, texture, etc

the particular mode, appearance, etc, in which a thing or person manifests itselfwater in the form of ice; in the form of a bat

a type or kindimprisonment is a form of punishment

a printed document, esp one with spaces in which to insert facts or answersan application form
(as modifier)a form letter

physical or mental condition, esp good condition, with reference to ability to performoff form

the previous record of a horse, athlete, etc, esp with regard to fitness

British slang a criminal record

style, arrangement, or design in the arts, as opposed to content

a fixed mode of artistic expression or representation in literary, musical, or other artistic workssonata form; sonnet form

a mould, frame, etc, that gives shape to something

organized structure or order, as in an artistic work

education, mainly British a group of children who are taught together; class

manner, method, or style of doing something, esp with regard to recognized standards

behaviour or procedure, esp as governed by custom or etiquettegood form

formality or ceremony

a prescribed set or order of words, terms, etc, as in a religious ceremony or legal document

philosophy

the structure of anything as opposed to its constitution or content
essence as opposed to matter
(often capital) (in the philosophy of Plato) the ideal universal that exists independently of the particulars which fall under itSee also Form
(in the philosophy of Aristotle) the constitution of matter to form a substance; by virtue of this its nature can be understood

See logical form

British a bench, esp one that is long, low, and backless

the nest or hollow in which a hare lives

a group of organisms within a species that differ from similar groups by trivial differences, as of colour

linguistics

the phonological or orthographic shape or appearance of a linguistic element, such as a word
a linguistic element considered from the point of view of its shape or sound rather than, for example, its meaning

crystallog See crystal form

taxonomy a group distinguished from other groups by a single characteristic: ranked below a variety

verb

to give shape or form to or to take shape or form, esp a specified or particular shape

to come or bring into existencea scum formed on the surface

to make, produce, or construct or be made, produced, or constructed

to construct or develop in the mindto form an opinion

(tr) to train, develop, or mould by instruction, discipline, or example

(tr) to acquire, contract, or developto form a habit

(tr) to be an element of, serve as, or constitutethis plank will form a bridge

(tr) to draw up; organizeto form a club

Derived forms of form

formable, adjective

Word Origin for form

C13: from Old French forme, from Latin forma shape, model

British Dictionary definitions for form (2 of 3)

Form

/ (fɔːm) /

noun

(in the philosophy of Plato) an ideal archetype existing independently of those individuals which fall under it, supposedly explaining their common properties and serving as the only objects of true knowledge as opposed to the mere opinion obtainable of matters of factAlso called: Idea

British Dictionary definitions for form (3 of 3)

-form

adj combining form

having the shape or form of or resemblingcruciform; vermiform

Word Origin for -form

from New Latin -formis, from Latin, from fōrma form

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with form

form

In addition to the idiom beginning with form

form an opinion

also see:

run to form
true to form

form

OTHER WORDS FOR form

OPPOSITES FOR form

Origin of form

synonym study for form

OTHER WORDS FROM form

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH form

Other definitions for form (2 of 2)

Origin of -form

WORDS THAT USE -FORM

What does -form mean?

Examples of -form

Break it down!

Words related to form

How to use form in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for form (1 of 3)

Derived forms of form

Word Origin for form

British Dictionary definitions for form (2 of 3)

British Dictionary definitions for form (3 of 3)

Word Origin for -form

Other Idioms and Phrases with form