formation
nounUK /fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ · CA, US /fɔɹˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/
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.
9 senses
- 1The act of assembling a group or structure.
- 2Something possessing structure or form.
- 3The process during which something comes into being and…
- 4A grouping of military units or smaller formations under…
- 5A layer of rock of common origin.
- 6An arrangement of moving troops, ships, or aircraft…
- 7An arrangement of players designed to facilitate certain plays.
- 8The process of influencing or guiding a person to a…
- 9A structure made of two categories, two functors from…
The act of assembling a group or structure.
- Some cloud formation was confirmed and rainfall was observed over some islands.2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)
Something possessing structure or form.
The process during which something comes into being and gains its characteristics.
Government, Military, Politics, War A grouping of military units or smaller formations under a command, such as a brigade, division, wing, etc.
- Over a broad region, the color of a formation may change.2012, Chinle Miller, In Mesozoic Lands: The Mesozoic Geology of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Kindle edition:
Government, Military, Politics, War An arrangement of moving troops, ships, or aircraft, such as a wedge, line abreast, or echelon. Often "in formation".
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports An arrangement of players designed to facilitate certain plays.
- 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.2017 May 13, Barney Ronay, “Antonio Conte’s brilliance has turned Chelsea’s pop-up team into champions”, in the Guardian:
The process of influencing or guiding a person to a deeper understanding of a particular vocation.
Category theory, Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences 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.
- Derived terms
36 terms
A formation, back-formation, back formation, Christmas tree formation, electroformation, formational, formation exposure time, formation lap, formation rule, formation water, free cell formation, geoformation, government formation, 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, V formation, word formation- Related terms
- form
- Hyponyms
- geologic formation, mass formation