formula

[ fawr-myuh-luh ]

/ ˈfɔr myə lə /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for formula on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural for·mu·las, for·mu·lae

[fawr-myuh-lee]. /ˈfɔr myəˌli/.

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.

any fixed or conventional method for doing something: His mystery stories were written according to a popular formula.

Mathematics.

a rule or principle, frequently expressed in algebraic symbols.
such a symbolic expression.

Chemistry. an expression of the constituents of a compound by symbols and figures.Compare empirical formula, molecular formula, structural formula.

a recipe or prescription: a new formula for currant wine.

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

a formal statement of religious doctrine.

(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.

QUIZ

ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!

Question 1 of 7

True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

true

false

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of formula

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use formula in a sentence

Later generations of medieval copyists would do the same—inserting doctrinal formulae into the mouths of expiring martyrs.
The Death of Jesus and the Rise of the Christian Persecution Myth|Candida Moss|March 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The lesson is that sound formulae are not enough, and political will is required to realize them.
The Lessons of Novembers Past|Saliba Sarsar, Hussein Ibish|October 15, 2012|DAILY BEAST
This does not apply to formulae got by rote, which are stages on the road to nowhere but second childhood and the grave.
The Pocket R.L.S.|Robert Louis Stevenson
Bridge sections designed by this rule differ little from those designed by formulae based directly on Whler's experiments.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various

In the first place, it must require much time to try different formulae.
Decline of Science in England|Charles Babbage
Three men sat around a table which was littered with graphs, sketches of mathematical functions, and books of tensor formulae.
Islands of Space|John W Campbell
They are theologically certain long before they are embodied in authoritative formulae.
Our Lady Saint Mary|J. G. H. Barry

British Dictionary definitions for formula

formula

/ (ˈfɔːmjʊlə) /

noun plural -las or -lae (-ˌliː)

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

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

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

a method, pattern, or rule for doing or producing something, often one proved to be successful
(as modifier)formula fiction

a prescription for making up a medicine, baby's food, etc
a substance prepared according to such a prescription

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

Derived forms of formula

formulaic (ˌfɔːmjʊˈleɪɪk), adjective

Word Origin for formula

C17: from Latin: diminutive of forma form

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

Scientific definitions for formula

formula

[ fôr′myə-lə ]

Plural formulas formulae (fôr′myə-lē′)

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, H2O is the formula for water, where H2 indicates two atoms of hydrogen and O indicates one atom of oxygen.

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.

formula

Origin of formula

Words related to formula

How to use formula in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for formula

Derived forms of formula

Word Origin for formula

Scientific definitions for formula