formation

[ fawr-mey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act or process of forming or the state of being formed:

   the formation of ice.

   Synonyms: organization, establishment

2. the manner in which a thing is formed; disposition of parts; formal structure or arrangement.
3. Military.
   1. a particular disposition of troops, as in columns, squares, etc.
   2. any required assembling of the soldiers of a unit.
4. Geology.
   1. a body of rocks classed as a stratigraphic unit for geologic mapping. Compare member ( def 8 ).
   2. the process of depositing rock or mineral of a particular composition or origin.

formation

/ fɔːˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of giving or taking form, shape, or existence
2. something that is formed
3. the manner in which something is formed or arranged
4. 1. a formal arrangement of a number of persons or things acting as a unit, such as a troop of soldiers, aircraft in flight, or a football team
   2. ( as modifier )

      formation dancing

5. geology
   1. the fundamental lithostratigraphic unit
   2. a series of rocks with certain characteristics in common
6. ecology a community of plants, such as a tropical rainforest, extending over a very large area

formation

/ fôr-mā′shən /

1. A long, mappable body of rock that is recognizable by its physical characteristics and by its location within the rock record.

Derived Forms

• forˈmational, adjective

Other Words From

• for·mation·al adjective
• misfor·mation noun
• nonfor·mation noun
• self-for·mation noun
• subfor·mation noun
• super·for·mation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of formation¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English formacioun, from Latin fōrmātiōn-, stem of fōrmātiō, from fōrmāt(us) “shaped” (past participle of fōrmāre “to shape, fashion”; form ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

His case helped link the hippocampus to brain function and memory formation.

From Science Daily

The animation below, from NOAA’s GOES-West satellite, shows the formation of the cyclone and its movement up the coast.

From Los Angeles Times

Knowing that sphingolipids promote atherosclerotic plaque formation reveals another side of cardiovascular disease in addition to cholesterol.

From Science Daily

Knowing where the mRNA begins formation on the DNA strand is a significant part of understanding how genes are expressed.

From Science Daily

In a flurry of announcements, the formation of the human skeleton and the early immune system have also been mapped out in detail.

From BBC

Related Words

• arrangement
• construction
• creation
• design
• development
• evolution
• forming
• pattern
• production
• structure