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• form
  form

  noun

  external appearance of a clearly defined area, as distinguished from color or material; configuration.
• -form
  -form

  a combining form meaning “having the form of ”.
• Form
  Form

  noun

  (in the philosophy of Plato) an ideal archetype existing independently of those individuals which fall under it, supposedly explaining their common properties and serving as the only objects of true knowledge as opposed to the mere opinion obtainable of matters of fact

form

¹ American  

[fawrm] / fɔrm /

noun

• forms
  plural

1. external appearance of a clearly defined area, as distinguished from color or material; configuration.

   a triangular form.

   Synonyms:

   conformation, mold

   Antonyms:

   substance

2. the shape of a thing or person.

3. a body, especially that of a human being.

4. a dummy having the same measurements as a human body, used for fitting or displaying clothing.

   a dressmaker's form.

5. something that gives or determines shape; a mold.

   Synonyms:

   pattern, model

6. a particular condition, character, or mode in which something appears.

   water in the form of ice.

7. the manner or style of arranging and coordinating parts for a pleasing or effective result, as in literary or musical composition.

   a unique form for the novel.

8. Fine Arts.

   1. the organization, placement, or relationship of basic elements, as lines and colors in a painting or volumes and voids in a sculpture, so as to produce a coherent image; the formal structure of a work of art.

   2. three-dimensional quality or volume, as of a represented object or anatomical part.

   3. an object, person, or part of the human body or the appearance of any of these, especially as seen in nature.

      His work is characterized by the radical distortion of the human form.

9. any assemblage of things of a similar kind constituting a component of a group, especially of a zoological group.

   Synonyms:

   type, order, kind, sort

10. Crystallography. the combination of all the like faces possible on a crystal of given symmetry.

11. due or proper shape; orderly arrangement of parts; good order.

12. Philosophy.

    1. the structure, pattern, organization, or essential nature of anything.

    2. structure or pattern as distinguished from matter.

    3. (initial capital letter) idea.

    4. Aristotelianism. that which places a thing in its particular species or kind.

13. Logic. the abstract relations of terms in a proposition, and of propositions to one another.

14. a set, prescribed, or customary order or method of doing something.

    Synonyms:

    rule, formality, formula, ritual, ceremony

15. a set order of words, as for use in religious ritual or in a legal document.

    a form for initiating new members.

16. a document with blank spaces to be filled in with particulars before it is executed.

    a tax form.

    Synonyms:

    blank

17. a typical document to be used as a guide in framing others for like cases.

    a form for a deed.

18. a conventional method of procedure or behavior.

    society's forms.

19. a formality or ceremony, often with implication of absence of real meaning.

    to go through the outward forms of a religious wedding.

    Synonyms:

    formula, practice, mode, system

20. procedure according to a set order or method.

    Synonyms:

    formula, practice, mode, system

21. conformity to the usages of society; formality; ceremony.

    the elaborate forms prevalent in the courts of renaissance kings.

22. procedure or conduct, as judged by social standards.

    Such behavior is very bad form.

    Good form demands that we go.

23. manner or method of performing something; technique.

    The violin soloist displayed tremendous form.

24. physical condition or fitness, as for performing.

    a tennis player in peak form.

25. Grammar.

    1. a word, part of a word, or group of words forming a construction that recurs in various contexts in a language with relatively constant meaning.

    2. a particular shape of such a form that occurs in more than one shape. In I'm, 'm is a form of am.

    3. a word with a particular inflectional ending or other modification. Goes is a form of go.

26. Linguistics. the shape or pattern of a word or other construction (distinguished from substance).

27. Building Trades. temporary boarding or sheeting of plywood or metal for giving a desired shape to poured concrete, rammed earth, etc.

28. a grade or class of pupils in a British secondary school or in certain U.S. private schools.

    boys in the fourth form.

29. British. a bench or long seat.

30. British Informal. a criminal record.

    She didn't want to believe that her own mother had form.

31. Printing. Also an assemblage of types, leads, etc., secured in a chase to print from.

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verb (used with object)

• forms,
  present (3rd person singular)
• formed,
  past participle,  past
• forming
  present participle

1. to construct or frame.

   Synonyms:

   outline, forge, mold, fabricate, model

2. to make or produce.

   Synonyms:

   create

3. to serve to make up; serve as; compose; constitute.

   The remaining members will form the program committee.

4. to place in order; arrange; organize.

   Synonyms:

   dispose, systematize

5. to frame (ideas, opinions, etc.) in the mind.

6. to contract or develop (habits, friendships, etc.).

7. to give form or shape to; shape; fashion.

8. to give a particular form or shape to; fashion in a particular manner.

   Form the dough into squares.

9. to mold or develop by discipline or instructions.

   The sergeant's job was to form boys into men.

   Synonyms:

   train, educate, teach

10. Grammar.

    1. to make (a derivation) by some grammatical change.

       The suffix “-ly” forms adverbs from adjectives.

    2. to have (a grammatical feature) represented in a particular shape.

       English forms plurals in “-s”.

11. Military. to draw up in lines or in formation.

verb (used without object)

• forms,
  present (3rd person singular)
• formed,
  past participle,  past
• forming
  present participle

1. to take or assume form.

2. to be formed or produced.

   Ice began to form on the window.

3. to take a particular form or arrangement.

   The ice formed in patches across the window.

-form ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “having the form of ”.

   cruciform.

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form ¹ British  

/ fɔːm /

noun

1. the shape or configuration of something as distinct from its colour, texture, etc

2. the particular mode, appearance, etc, in which a thing or person manifests itself

   water in the form of ice

   in the form of a bat

3. a type or kind

   imprisonment is a form of punishment

4. 1. a printed document, esp one with spaces in which to insert facts or answers

      an application form

   2. ( as modifier )

      a form letter

5. physical or mental condition, esp good condition, with reference to ability to perform

   off form

6. the previous record of a horse, athlete, etc, esp with regard to fitness

7. slang a criminal record

8. style, arrangement, or design in the arts, as opposed to content

9. a fixed mode of artistic expression or representation in literary, musical, or other artistic works

   sonata form

   sonnet form

10. a mould, frame, etc, that gives shape to something

11. organized structure or order, as in an artistic work

12. education a group of children who are taught together; class

13. manner, method, or style of doing something, esp with regard to recognized standards

14. behaviour or procedure, esp as governed by custom or etiquette

    good form

15. formality or ceremony

16. a prescribed set or order of words, terms, etc, as in a religious ceremony or legal document

17. philosophy

    1. the structure of anything as opposed to its constitution or content

    2. essence as opposed to matter

    3. (often capital) (in the philosophy of Plato) the ideal universal that exists independently of the particulars which fall under it See also Form

    4. (in the philosophy of Aristotle) the constitution of matter to form a substance; by virtue of this its nature can be understood

18. See logical form

19. a bench, esp one that is long, low, and backless

20. the nest or hollow in which a hare lives

21. a group of organisms within a species that differ from similar groups by trivial differences, as of colour

22. linguistics

    1. the phonological or orthographic shape or appearance of a linguistic element, such as a word

    2. a linguistic element considered from the point of view of its shape or sound rather than, for example, its meaning

23. crystallog See crystal form

24. taxonomy a group distinguished from other groups by a single characteristic: ranked below a variety

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verb

1. to give shape or form to or to take shape or form, esp a specified or particular shape

2. to come or bring into existence

   a scum formed on the surface

3. to make, produce, or construct or be made, produced, or constructed

4. to construct or develop in the mind

   to form an opinion

5. (tr) to train, develop, or mould by instruction, discipline, or example

6. (tr) to acquire, contract, or develop

   to form a habit

7. (tr) to be an element of, serve as, or constitute

   this plank will form a bridge

8. (tr) to draw up; organize

   to form a club

-form ² British  

combining form

1. having the shape or form of or resembling

   cruciform

   vermiform

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Form ³ British  

/ fɔːm /

noun

1. Also called: Idea. (in the philosophy of Plato) an ideal archetype existing independently of those individuals which fall under it, supposedly explaining their common properties and serving as the only objects of true knowledge as opposed to the mere opinion obtainable of matters of fact

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form Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing form

• run to form
• true to form

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Usage

Plural word for form The plural form of form is forms. Typically, the plural form of words ending in -m is created in the standard way, by adding -s, as in term/terms, alarm/alarms, and worm/worms. The word form is also used as a verb whose third-person singular form is forms, as in He forms his own opinions.

What does -form mean? The combining form -form is used like a suffix meaning “having the form of.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology. The form -form comes from Latin -fōrmis, meaning “having the form of.” The equivalent combining form from Greek is -morphous, from morphḗ, meaning “form.”What are variants of -form?When used to create the taxonomic names of animals, the form -form becomes -iformes, as in Lorisiformes. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on -iformes.

Synonym Usage

Form, figure, outline, shape refer to an appearance that can be recognized. Form, figure, and shape are often used to mean an area defined by contour without regard to other identifying qualities, as color or material. Outline refers to the line that delimits a form, figure, or shape: the outline of a hill. Form often includes a sense of mass or volume: a solid form. Shape may refer to an outline or a form: an “S” shape; a woman's shape. Figure often refers to a form or shape determined by its outline: the figure eight. Form and shape may also be applied to abstractions: the shape or form of the future. Form is applied to physical objects, mental images, methods of procedure, etc.; it is a more inclusive term than either shape or figure : the form of a cross, of a ceremony, of a poem.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonform
  noun
• subform
  noun
• underform
  noun
• misform
  verb
• formable
  adjective
• half-formed
  adjective
• misformed
  adjective
• nonforming
  adjective
• overformed
  adjective
• self-formed
  adjective
• semiformed
  adjective
• formably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• forms
  plural

Participles

• forming
  present
• formed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• form
  simple
• forms
  simple
• have formed
  perfect
• has formed
  perfect
• am forming
  progressive
• are forming
  progressive
• is forming
  progressive
• have been forming
  perfect progressive
• has been forming
  perfect progressive

Past

• formed
  simple
• had formed
  perfect
• was forming
  progressive
• were forming
  progressive
• had been forming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will form
  simple
• will have formed
  perfect
• will be forming
  progressive
• will have been forming
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of form¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English forme, from Old French, from Latin forma “form, figure, model, mold, sort,” Medieval Latin: “seat”

Origin of -form²

From the Latin suffix -fōrmis

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Explanation

The way something (or someone) is shaped or arranged is its form. You might use it to describe the way a person looks walking in the woods at dusk by saying, "Her form was almost lost between the shadowy trees." Physical objects have a form, and so do less tangible things like music, movies, and stories. When form is used as a verb, it means "to give shape to," as when a filmmaker works to form the narrative of her movie so that it makes sense to the audience.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

form -form Form forms formed forming

Another avenue, she said, is to scale up existing data centers, where surrounding communities that have seen benefits in the form of job creation and tax revenue don’t require as much persuasion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

The research also adds to the University of Missouri's growing contributions to understanding and potentially preventing the most common form of dementia.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026

But there’s more to Anderson’s recent career-best run of form than the advice of her Super Bowl-champion boyfriend.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

Long queues form at the city's borders as vehicles are stopped and checked, leaving commuters stuck in traffic for hours.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

She refused to answer to any form of “mother” or “mom” or “Mrs.,” forcing Janet and any friends she brought home to call her Star, though her name was actually Sharon.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Craters, basaltic, at Ascension. -form of, affected by the trade wind. -of elevation. -of tuff at Terceira. -of tuff at the Galapagos archipelago. -their breached state. -small basaltic at St. Jago. —at the Galapagos archipelago.

From Volcanic Islands by Charles Darwin

He tried his luck as a fisherman and with such success that he captured an enormous fish, a fish so -rich in fat that with the oil Manabozho was able to -form a small lake.

From The Junior Classics — Volume 1 by William Patten

“There’s this mafia culture around the baths because you can’t get wiretapped in banyas,” says Leah Feygin, who runs Fluid Form, a Substack about Eastern European bathhouse culture.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

A Sixth Form Environment Meeting gave young people the chance to present environmental issues that matter to them and contribute ideas for the future.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Sounds like I won’t need to worry about Form 709.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Plus, once you file a Form 5500-EZ it’s there for all the world to see.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

War Admiral was the toast of the newsmen; every single Daily Racing Form handicap- per had picked him to win, as had some 95 percent of the other writers.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

A single crystal or grain of metal alloy forms during this process of gradual, delicate solidification.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

Within minutes, the dough turns into the traditional flatbread that forms an essential part of Sudanese meals.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

By measuring how the material scattered these two forms of light, they could search for evidence of chirality.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

Rhythm’s research is focused on a pathway the company says is responsible for rare forms of obesity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

A lump the size of a Cadbury Egg forms in my throat as I take off running for the front office, my wobbly legs completely forgotten.

From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell

For decades, deputies have formed cliques and subgroups at sheriff’s stations across L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

He also formed a small band of raiders whose bond endures and whose interlinked stories form this saga of passion and betrayal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

As he faces jail, it's clear that the behaviour that formed the backdrop to Brand's prosecution is the same behaviour that helped elevate him in the first place.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

These naturally formed channels allowed lighter oil fractions, including naphtha, gasoline, and kerosene, to pass through quickly while preventing heavier substances from traveling through the membrane as easily.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

Her left eye started twitching, and crimson blotches formed on her neck and cheeks.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Fast on the heels of Tuesday’s mind-blowing American midterm elections, Israelis are forming a new government that seems hardly less astonishing—a ruling body for the Jewish state that includes Israeli Arabs.

From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026

The ELN took advantage, recruiting members inside of Venezuela while forming close bonds with the country’s military.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will begin meeting this week with representatives of parties that won seats in the October 27 vote, to determine to which leader to give the first shot at forming a government.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

Scientists believe planets began forming when tiny particles of dust and pebbles orbiting the young Sun gradually accumulated into larger bodies.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026

Frankie reached for me, my name forming on his lips.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

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Related Words

• assemble
• build
• complete
• compose
• constitute
• construct
• create
• design
• develop
• establish
• forge
• found
• organize
• plan
• set
• set up
• work

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