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

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 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 Forms

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.