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

“Now 150 years after the formation of this country, that sun is still rising.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Then, an illegal shift scrubbed an 18-yard catch and carry by Oronde Gadsden II. Finally, another illegal formation brought back an 11-yard run by Lance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

The four Grand Slam tournaments have also jointly announced the formation of a Grand Slam Player Council.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Amyloid beta places additional stress on nerve cells, and that stress encourages the formation of more inactive GRK2 and more GRK2 aggregates.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

They sailed over the meadow in a triangle formation, three dark shadows on the grass.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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

On the album’s back half, a few unabashedly beautiful songs stand out like rock formations rising from the desert floor—especially “Deep Time,” which offers a shot of serenity amid all the slow-moving menace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Ultraviolet flashlights attracted only a small number of isopods and never triggered the swirling formations.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026

In Cordoba Province in Argentina, however, chronic arsenic poisoning, accompanied by arsenical skin cancers, is endemic because of the contamination of drinking water derived from rock formations containing arsenic.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

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