formula

American  

[fawr-myuh-luh] / ˈfɔr mjə lə /

noun

• formulas,
  plural
• formulae
  plural

1. a set form of words, as for stating or declaring something definitely or authoritatively, for indicating procedure to be followed, or for prescribed use on some ceremonial occasion.

2. any fixed or conventional method for doing something.

   His mystery stories were written according to a popular formula.

3. Mathematics.

   1. a rule or principle, frequently expressed in algebraic symbols.

   2. such a symbolic expression.

4. Chemistry. an expression of the constituents of a compound by symbols and figures.

5. a recipe or prescription.

   a new formula for currant wine.

6. a special nutritive mixture, especially of milk, sugar, and water, in prescribed proportions for feeding a baby.

7. a formal statement of religious doctrine.

8. (initial capital letter) a set of specifications as to weight, engine displacement, fuel capacity, etc., for defining a class of racing cars (usually followed by a limiting numerical designation).

   Some races are open to Formula One cars.

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formula British  

/ ˈfɔːmjʊlə, ˌfɔːmjʊˈleɪɪk /

noun

1. an established form or set of words, as used in religious ceremonies, legal proceedings, etc

2. maths physics a general relationship, principle, or rule stated, often as an equation, in the form of symbols

3. chem a representation of molecules, radicals, ions, etc, expressed in the symbols of the atoms of their constituent elements See molecular formula empirical formula structural formula

4. 1. a method, pattern, or rule for doing or producing something, often one proved to be successful

   2. ( as modifier )

      formula fiction

5. 1. a prescription for making up a medicine, baby's food, etc

   2. a substance prepared according to such a prescription

6. motor racing the specific category in which a particular type of car competes, judged according to engine size, weight, and fuel capacity

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formula Scientific  

/ fôr′myə-lə /

• formulas
  plural

1. A set of symbols showing the composition of a chemical compound. A formula lists the elements contained within it and indicates the number of atoms of each element with a subscript numeral if the number is more than 1. For example, H ₂ O is the formula for water, where H ₂ indicates two atoms of hydrogen and O indicates one atom of oxygen.

2. A set of symbols expressing a mathematical rule or principle. For example, the formula for the area of a rectangle is a = lw, where a is the area, l the length, and w the width.

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Usage

Plural word for formula The plural form of formula can be either formulas or formulae, pronounced [ fawr-myuh-lee ]. Formulas is more widely used. The plural form of several other singular words ending in -a are formed in this way, such as camera/cameras, pajama/pajamas, and pizza/pizzas. Irregular plurals that are formed like formulae, such as larva/larvae or fauna/faunae, derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• formulaic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• formulae
  plural
• formulas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of formula

1575–85; < Latin: register, form, rule. See form, -ule

Explanation

A formula is generally a fixed pattern that is used to achieve consistent results. It might be made up of words, numbers, or ideas that work together to define a procedure to be followed for the desired outcome. Formulas, the patterns we follow in life, are used everywhere. In math or science, a formula might express a numeric or chemical equation; in cooking, a recipe is a formula. Baby formula is made up of the nutrients necessary for maintaining healthy growth, and the right formula for a fuel mixture is critical for a racing car's best performance. Everyone has their favorite formula for success. J. Paul Getty once gave his as "rise early, work hard, strike oil."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

formula formulae formulas

But the formula, which includes coffee and cold plunges in what resemble very high-end kiddie pools, has worked elsewhere.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

"In serious cases, too much water in the formula may lead to more immediate health problems because a baby's body is not able to safely process the excess water."

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Here’s how CEO Salim Ramji plans to bring Vanguard’s low-cost, high-return formula to cash savings, financial advice, and active fixed income.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

“It’s a pretty simple formula, and I’ve just kind of seen our guys do it.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

The skunk’s little pink tongue lapped at the formula.

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold

The complex interactions of fluid and soft matter physics prove challenging to simplify into cut-and-dried formulae.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 16, 2024

The DfE said it would mean "enhanced formulae and equation sheets" for students in maths, physics and combined science GCSEs.

From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2023

"Negotiations are not just mathematical formulae but also personal relationships. And trust. Unfortunately, today we are losing a measure of trust in us," Podolyak said.

From Reuters ● Feb. 6, 2023

Pupils had extra information, such as formulae sheets and advanced warning of topics, ahead of their exams.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2022

In this they are quite unlike testimonies, which degrade as they pass from ear to ear in an endless game of Chinese whispers; eighteenth-century probability theorists actually devised formulae for calculating this rate of degradation.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

"Resolving regional issues must be carried out away from formulas imposed from the outside. We know very well that solutions imported from abroad only bring disasters," he told the Saudi-owned newspaper.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

According to the researchers, these particles provided strong protection against damaging ultraviolet radiation while producing less white cast than conventional zinc oxide formulas.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026

Instead, it mostly uses prices collected by another federal statistics agency, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the Labor Department, and then recombines them using its own formulas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

As a Salomon Brothers bond researcher, he came up with formulas that still drive financial markets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

After the engineers worked out their formulas, I would plug all of the missing numbers into their equations to see if their formulas worked mathematically.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson