formation

American  

[fawr-mey-shuhn] / fɔrˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

• formations
  plural

1. the act or process of forming or the state of being formed.

   the formation of ice.

   Synonyms:

   organization, establishment

2. the manner in which a thing is formed; disposition of parts; formal structure or arrangement.

3. Military.

   1. a particular disposition of troops, as in columns, squares, etc.

   2. any required assembling of the soldiers of a unit.

4. Geology.

   1. a body of rocks classed as a stratigraphic unit for geologic mapping.

   2. the process of depositing rock or mineral of a particular composition or origin.

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formation British  

/ fɔːˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of giving or taking form, shape, or existence

2. something that is formed

3. the manner in which something is formed or arranged

4. 1. a formal arrangement of a number of persons or things acting as a unit, such as a troop of soldiers, aircraft in flight, or a football team

   2. ( as modifier )

      formation dancing

5. geology

   1. the fundamental lithostratigraphic unit

   2. a series of rocks with certain characteristics in common

6. ecology a community of plants, such as a tropical rainforest, extending over a very large area

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formation Scientific  

/ fôr-mā′shən /

1. A long, mappable body of rock that is recognizable by its physical characteristics and by its location within the rock record.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• misformation
  noun
• nonformation
  noun
• self-formation
  noun
• subformation
  noun
• superformation
  noun
• formational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• formations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of formation

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English formacioun, from Latin fōrmātiōn-, stem of fōrmātiō, from fōrmāt(us) “shaped” (past participle of fōrmāre “to shape, fashion”; cf. form) + -iō -ion

Explanation

A formation is an arrangement of people or things. Planes flying in formation make a deliberate, specific pattern in the sky. Some formations are on purpose, or deliberate — like military troops marching in formation or a cheerleading squad arranging itself in formation. Others just arrange themselves in a particular way by chance, like a striking cloud formation overhead. You can also talk about the formation — or establishment — of something less physical, like the formation of a new government. The Latin root, formationem, means "a shaping."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

formation formations

If galaxies like these contained substantially more stars than researchers previously estimated, theories of galaxy formation must account for how such enormous numbers of small stars could have appeared so early in cosmic history.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026

With the opposition slower to shuffle back across, the direct pass to the forward dropping deep was then played - the same pattern but executed slightly differently against a different formation.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

First, a fairly deep pass to running back Keaton Mitchell for 21 yards was nullified by an illegal formation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

The permanence of sports franchises were behind the formation of Kushner’s Thrive Eternal venture, a permanent holding company launched under Thrive Capital in April.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

One morning at roll call Adek was waiting at my usual spot, though it was dangerous for him to be out of his formation.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Beginning with the shape of United's squad provides much-needed context, but it is important to note that much of their play is based on tactical principles, not just formations.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

“Just different formations ... variations of the same route ... I mean, shoot, that just shows how good a coach Coach Mike is — got us in different positions to be successful.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

Scientists are now studying the newly discovered formations to determine which of these processes, or possibly a combination of them, shaped the landscape in Valle Grande.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026

What matters is state-led formations that profess loyalty to similar ideas, but are far stronger and more sophisticated than jihadists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

There was no ghostly regiment, responded to those orders; just the gray stone, the blue mist, and an officer alone, hanger raised, bawling formations.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• arrangement
• construction
• creation
• design
• development
• evolution
• forming
• pattern
• production
• structure