formation

[ fawr-mey-shuhn ]

/ fɔrˈmeɪ ʃən /

SEE 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.

Words nearby formation

forman, formant, format, formate, formatio, formation, formation dance, formation rules, formative, formative assessment, formative element

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 SYNONYMS FOR formation ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM formation

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 forms of formation

formational, 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

Medicine definitions for formation

formation

[ fôr-mā′shən ]

n.

The act or process of forming something or of taking form.

Something formed.

Science definitions for formation

formation

[ fôr-mā′shən ]

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

formation

noun

Content related to formation

Words related to formation

Words nearby formation

Origin of formation

SYNONYMS FOR formation

OTHER WORDS FROM formation

Examples from the Web for formation

British Dictionary definitions for formation

noun

Derived forms of formation

Medicine definitions for formation

n.

Science definitions for formation