English Explanatory Dictionary

formation

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The act of assembling a group or structure.
  2. Something possessing structure or form.
  3. The process during which something comes into being and gains its characteristics.
  4. A grouping of military units or smaller formations under a command, such as a brigade, division, wing, etc.
  5. A layer of rock of common origin.
  6. An arrangement of moving troops, ships, or aircraft, such as a wedge, line abreast, or echelon. Often "in formation".
  7. An arrangement of players designed to facilitate certain plays.
  8. The process of influencing or guiding a person to a deeper understanding of a particular vocation.
  9. A structure made of two categories, two functors from the first to the second category, and a transformation from one of the functors to the other.

Pronunciation

/fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ /fɔɹˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ En-us-formation.oga /foːˈmæɪʃ(ə)n/

Word forms

formation formations

Etymology

From Middle English formacioun, formation, borrowed from Old French formacion, from Latin fōrmātiō, from fōrmō (“form”, verb); see form as verb. Morphologically form + -ation.

Related words

form

Derived words

A formation back-formation back formation Christmas tree formation electroformation formational formation exposure time formation lap formation rule formation water free cell formation geoformation gust formation time I formation loan formation malformation microformation misformation missing man formation neoformation nonformation osteoformation pattern formation postformation preformation progressive longways formation re-formation reticular formation rock formation subformation T formation trips formation unformation word formation
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