formation

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

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /fɔːˈmeɪʃən/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /fɔɹˈmeɪʃən/
• (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /foːˈmæɪʃən/

This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

• Hyphenation: for‧ma‧tion
• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

formation (countable and uncountable, plural formations)

1. The act of assembling a group or structure.
   • 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.
3. The process during which something comes into being and gains its characteristics.
4. (military) A grouping of military units or smaller formations under a command, such as a brigade, division, wing, etc.
5. (geology) A layer of rock of common origin.
   • 2012, Chinle Miller, In Mesozoic Lands: The Mesozoic Geology of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Kindle edition:

     Over a broad region, the color of a formation may change.

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:

     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.

• mass formation, geologic formation

• form

• “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, page 464, column 1.
• “formation”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “formation”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

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

• IPA^(key): /fɔʁ.ma.sjɔ̃/

• Audio:

  (file)

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

• autoformation

• forme

• → Dutch: formatie

• “formation”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

From Latin formatio.

• IPA^(key): /fɔrmaˈɧuːn/

formation c

1. formation

• formation in Svensk ordbok (SO)