formation

[ fawr-mey-shuhn ]

/ fɔrˈmeɪ ʃən /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR formation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or process of forming or the state of being formed: the formation of ice.

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

Military.

a particular disposition of troops, as in columns, squares, etc.
any required assembling of the soldiers of a unit.

Geology.

a body of rocks classed as a stratigraphic unit for geologic mapping.Compare member(def 8).
the process of depositing rock or mineral of a particular composition or origin.

Nearby words

Origin of formation

1375–1425; late Middle English formacioun < Latin fōrmātiōn- (stem of fōrmātiō), equivalent to fōrmāt(us) (see form, -ate¹) + -iōn- -ion

SYNONYMS FOR formation

1. establishment, founding, organization.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR formation ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

for·ma·tion·al, adjectivemis·for·ma·tion, nounnon·for·ma·tion, nounself-for·ma·tion, noun

sub·for·ma·tion, nounsu·per·for·ma·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for formation

“Stay in formation,” a sergeant from the ceremonial unit said over a public address system to the cops along the street.
Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss|Michael Daly|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Lynch stayed in the street, exchanging greetings with cops who had been in formation and were now streaming past.
Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss|Michael Daly|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This led to the formation of a Christian militant group to counter the rebels, and all-out sectarian violence exploded.
The Year’s Most Forgotten Humanitarian Crisis|Nina Strochlic|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
For that reason, we will never see the formation of another solar system unfold before our eyes.
The Most Stunning View Ever of Planets Being Born|Matthew R. Francis|November 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The formation of neologisms is a natural process that no amount of outrage can halt.
Go Ahead, End With a Preposition: Grammar Rules We All Can Live With|Nick Romeo|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is accomplished by means of an "interrupter" that either vibrates rapidly or "snaps" once at the formation of each spark.
The Gasoline Motor|Harold Whiting Slauson
The tendency of Alger stories is to the formation of an honorable, manly character.
Camp Fires of the Wolf Patrol|Alan Douglas
This dry, fragmentary snow is still further prepared for the formation of banners by the action of the wind.
Wisconsin in Story and Song;|Various
They also give rise to the formation of modern myths, that is, fantastic rumours, suspicions and prejudices.
Collected Papers on Analytical Psychology|C. G. Jung
The formation of a blister is a vital process, and its success may be taken as a proof of the presence of life.
Cooley's Practical Receipts, Volume II|Arnold Cooley

British Dictionary definitions for formation

formation

/ (fɔːˈmeɪʃən) /

noun

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

something that is formed

the manner in which something is formed or arranged

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
(as modifier)formation dancing

geology

the fundamental lithostratigraphic unit
a series of rocks with certain characteristics in common

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

Derived Formsformational, adjective

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

Word Origin and History for formation

formation

late 14c., from Old French formacion (12c.) or directly from Latin formationem (nominative formatio) "a forming, shaping," noun of action or condition from past participle stem of formare "to form" (see form (v.)).

Medicine definitions for formation