formula

American  

[fawr-myuh-luh] / ˈfɔr mjə lə /

noun

• formulas,
  plural
• formulae
  plural

1. a set form of words, as for stating or declaring something definitely or authoritatively, for indicating procedure to be followed, or for prescribed use on some ceremonial occasion.

2. any fixed or conventional method for doing something.

   His mystery stories were written according to a popular formula.

3. Mathematics.

   1. a rule or principle, frequently expressed in algebraic symbols.

   2. such a symbolic expression.

4. Chemistry. an expression of the constituents of a compound by symbols and figures.

5. a recipe or prescription.

   a new formula for currant wine.

6. a special nutritive mixture, especially of milk, sugar, and water, in prescribed proportions for feeding a baby.

7. a formal statement of religious doctrine.

8. (initial capital letter) a set of specifications as to weight, engine displacement, fuel capacity, etc., for defining a class of racing cars (usually followed by a limiting numerical designation).

   Some races are open to Formula One cars.

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formula British  

/ ˈfɔːmjʊlə /

noun

1. an established form or set of words, as used in religious ceremonies, legal proceedings, etc

2. maths physics a general relationship, principle, or rule stated, often as an equation, in the form of symbols

3. chem a representation of molecules, radicals, ions, etc, expressed in the symbols of the atoms of their constituent elements See molecular formula empirical formula structural formula

4. 1. a method, pattern, or rule for doing or producing something, often one proved to be successful

   2. ( as modifier )

      formula fiction

5. 1. a prescription for making up a medicine, baby's food, etc

   2. a substance prepared according to such a prescription

6. motor racing the specific category in which a particular type of car competes, judged according to engine size, weight, and fuel capacity

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formula Scientific  

/ fôr′myə-lə /

• formulas
  plural

1. A set of symbols showing the composition of a chemical compound. A formula lists the elements contained within it and indicates the number of atoms of each element with a subscript numeral if the number is more than 1. For example, H ₂ O is the formula for water, where H ₂ indicates two atoms of hydrogen and O indicates one atom of oxygen.

2. A set of symbols expressing a mathematical rule or principle. For example, the formula for the area of a rectangle is a = lw, where a is the area, l the length, and w the width.

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Usage

Plural word for formula The plural form of formula can be either formulas or formulae, pronounced [ fawr-myuh-lee ]. Formulas is more widely used. The plural form of several other singular words ending in -a are formed in this way, such as camera/cameras, pajama/pajamas, and pizza/pizzas. Irregular plurals that are formed like formulae, such as larva/larvae or fauna/faunae, derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• formulaic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• formulae
  plural
• formulas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of formula

1575–85; < Latin: register, form, rule. See form, -ule

Explanation

A formula is generally a fixed pattern that is used to achieve consistent results. It might be made up of words, numbers, or ideas that work together to define a procedure to be followed for the desired outcome. Formulas, the patterns we follow in life, are used everywhere. In math or science, a formula might express a numeric or chemical equation; in cooking, a recipe is a formula. Baby formula is made up of the nutrients necessary for maintaining healthy growth, and the right formula for a fuel mixture is critical for a racing car's best performance. Everyone has their favorite formula for success. J. Paul Getty once gave his as "rise early, work hard, strike oil."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

formula formulae formulas

He’s the pen behind 2005’s “Just the Girl” by the Click Five, which laid a mall-emo whine and reverb-heavy drums over The Wonders’ tried and true formula.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

Botched executions have come under scrutiny over the past decade, since a shortage of the drugs used led some states to change the formula, or procure drugs from more questionable sources.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

That acceleration happened despite a tweak to the PCE inflation formula that many analysts believe, all else equal, would help to cool the index in recent months.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

With the August report, the Bureau of Economic Analysis updated the formula it uses to measure inflation with its personal-consumption expenditures price index.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

This was astounding–like someone saying he had found a cure for cancer but couldn’t remember where he had put the formula.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

As in 2024, the Department for Education in England has said students in maths, physics, and combined science exams will be allowed to use formulae and equation sheets during their exams.

From BBC ● May 7, 2025

The complex interactions of fluid and soft matter physics prove challenging to simplify into cut-and-dried formulae.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 16, 2024

Having equations and formulae in some exams will make the process less of a "memory game", according to Olivia.

From BBC ● May 14, 2023

"Negotiations are not just mathematical formulae but also personal relationships. And trust. Unfortunately, today we are losing a measure of trust in us," Podolyak said.

From Reuters ● Feb. 6, 2023

Manet started small, teaching me simple formulae of the sort required for twice-tough glass and heat funnels.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Despite that, parts of millions of people’s paychecks were dutifully invested in them based on cookie-cutter formulas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

This is why I have come to appreciate what I think of as back-pocket formulas: reliable little systems you can make while your brain goes mostly offline.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

"Our technique turns out to be remarkably stable. Depending on the desired precision, we can systematically improve our formulas using additional approximation methods," says Florian Ecker from TU Wien.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026

In a class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of California renters, lawyers alleged that Conservice’s policy was to deny tenants the right to view specific bills or formulas used to calculate their individual charges.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Gold started sneaking documents out of his lab, plans and formulas for making industrial chemicals.

From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin