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formula

[ fawr-myuh-luh ]
/ ˈfɔr myə lə /
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noun, plural for·mu·las, for·mu·lae [fawr-myuh-lee]. /ˈfɔr myəˌli/.
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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

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
  1. a method, pattern, or rule for doing or producing something, often one proved to be successful
  2. (as modifier)formula fiction
  1. a prescription for making up a medicine, baby's food, etc
  2. 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
[ fôrmyə-lə ]

Plural formulas formulae (fôrmyə-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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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