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

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Etymology

Origin of formula

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

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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

Why “strong sales alongside” inflation isn’t a good long-term formula for retailers.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

The DIY formula relies on taking advantage of the skills each performer has and using them to self-produce material to build a fan base, a concept that comedian Emmy Browning is putting into practice.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 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

The Journal used DHS’s published funding formula to calculate eligible reimbursement amounts; 14 agencies in five states confirmed those findings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Not only did Planck’s formula explain the new measurements, it solved the ultraviolet catastrophe.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

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

Pupils also had advance information about exam content, a choice of topics in some subjects, and additional resources in certain exams such as formulae sheets.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2022

In this they are quite unlike testimonies, which degrade as they pass from ear to ear in an endless game of Chinese whispers; eighteenth-century probability theorists actually devised formulae for calculating this rate of degradation.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

No unopened, distributed Abbott infant formulas have tested positive for the bacteria that sickened the babies, the company said in a statement Monday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 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

It frees a student from memorizing all formulas, such as pi to the fourth decimal, but not from knowing whether an answer is right, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

The engineers’ job was to come up with the theories and formulas that advanced the nation’s aviation know-how; the computers performed and checked calculations to ensure that the engineers’ ideas worked.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

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