formation

noun

for-MAY-shuhn/fɔɹˈmeɪʃən/Sayfaw-MAY-shuhnUK/fɔːˈmeɪʃən/AUS/foːˈmæɪʃən/

Pluralformations (some meanings)

9 meanings of formation

1
noununcountable
The way something is made or starts to exist and gets its features.
Like a cake slowly taking shape as it bakes in the oven.
Scientists study the formation of stars in deep space.
You can watch the formation of ice on the window on a cold night.
Similardevelopment, creation, genesis, emergence, making
Oppositedestruction, breakdown
2
noununcountable
The act of putting people or parts together to make a group or thing.
The formation of the new chess club took only one week.
Parents talked about the formation of a group to clean up the park.
Similarestablishment, creation, founding, foundation, inception
Oppositedissolution, disbandment
Note
3
nouncountable
A thing that has a clear shape or structure.
The clouds made a strange formation in the sky.
Inside the cave we saw a rock formation that looked like a frozen waterfall.
Similarstructure, pattern, configuration, arrangement, shape
4
nouncountable or uncountable
A pattern that soldiers, ships, or planes keep while they move together.
Like dancers who keep their exact places while they all move across the stage.
The planes flew over the crowd in a tight formation.
The soldiers marched in formation through the town square.
Similararray, order, arrangement, pattern, configuration
Oppositedisarray
Note
5
nouncountable
The way players on a team stand or line up for a play.
The coach changed the formation at halftime so the team could attack more.
Before each play, the football players get into their formation.
Similarlineup, setup, system, alignment, set
Note
6
nouncountable
A large layer of rock that was made in the same way at the same time.
Like one layer inside a huge layer cake made of rock.
The dark formation of rock in the cliff is millions of years old.
Scientists drilled deep into the formation to learn how it was made.
Similarstratum, layer, bed
Note
7
nouncountable
A large military group made up of smaller units under one commander.
The general ordered the formation to move toward the river.
Two smaller units joined together to make one large formation.
Similarunit, force, group
Note
8
noununcountable
Training and help that prepare a person for a special job or way of life.
His formation as a priest took many years of study and prayer.
The program focuses on the formation of young teachers who love their work.
Similartraining, education, preparation, development, grounding
9
nouncountable
A structure in advanced math made of two categories, two maps between them, and a way to connect the two maps.
Like two towns, two roads that run between them, and a path that joins one road to the other.
The professor drew the formation on the board, showing the two categories and the maps between them.
Each formation in the homework problem connects two categories through a pair of maps.
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin fōrmātiō, from the verb fōrmō meaning "to form." It came into English through Old French.