formation definition

English formation definition

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

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən
• (US) IPA^(key): /fɔɹ.ˈmeɪ.ʃən/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /fə(ɹ).ˈmeɪ.ʃən/
• Hyphenation: for‧ma‧tion

Noun

formation (countable and uncountable, plural formations)

1. The act of assembling a group or structure. [from 14th c.]
   • 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     Some cloud formation was confirmed and rainfall was observed over some islands.

     Audio (US)

     (file)

2. Something possessing structure or form. [from 17th c.]
3. The process during which something comes into being and gains its characteristics. [from 18th c.]
4. (military) A grouping of military units or smaller formations under a command, such as a brigade, division, wing, etc. [from 18th c.]
5. (geology) A layer of rock of common origin. [from 19th c.]
6. (military) An arrangement of moving troops, ships, or aircraft, such as a wedge, line abreast, or echelon. Often "in formation".
7. (sports) An arrangement of players designed to facilitate certain plays.
   • 2017 May 13, Barney Ronay, “Antonio Conte’s brilliance has turned Chelsea’s pop-up team into champions”, in the Guardian‎^[1]:

     N'Golo Kanté embodies both sides of this, a player whose early scratchiness was soothed with glorious results in the new 3-4-3 formation, allowed simply to be his best, most wonderfully mobile, diligent, destructive self.

8. The process of influencing or guiding a person to a deeper understanding of a particular vocation.
9. (category theory) 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.

Hyponyms

• mass formation, geologic formation

Related terms

• form

Translations

Further reading

• “formāciǒun, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
• James A. H. Murray [et al.], editors (1884–1928), “Formation”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volume IV (F–G), London: Clarendon Press, OCLC 15566697, page 464, column 1.
• formation in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• formation in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

French formation definition

Etymology

From Old French formacion, borrowed from Latin fōrmātiō, fōrmātiōnem. Cf. also the archaic formaison.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔʁ.ma.sjɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

formation f (plural formations)

1. formation, forming, development
2. education; training

   la formation juridique ― judicial training

   Je suis gynécologue de formation. ― I'm a trainee gynecologist.

3. (military) formation

Derived terms

• autoformation

Related terms

• forme

Further reading

• “formation”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Swedish formation definition

Etymology

From Latin formatio.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔrmaˈɧuːn/

Noun

formation c

1. formation

Declension

References

• formation in Svensk ordbok (SO)