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View synonyms for

formation

[ fawr-mey-shuhn ]

noun

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

    the formation of ice.

    Synonyms: ,

  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

/ ɔːˈɪʃə /

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
    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

  4. geology
    1. the fundamental lithostratigraphic unit
    2. a series of rocks with certain characteristics in common
  5. ecology a community of plants, such as a tropical rainforest, extending over a very large area
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

formation

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

  • ڴǰˈپDzԲ, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • ڴǰ·tDz· adjective
  • Эǰ·tDz noun
  • ԴDzЭǰ·tDz noun
  • -ڴǰ·tDz noun
  • ܲЭǰ·tDz noun
  • p·ڴǰ·tDz noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of formation1

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English formacioun, from Latin ōپō-, stem of ōپō, from ō(ܲ) “shaped” (past participle of ō “to shape, fashion”; form ) + -ion
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Indeed, learning and the necessary process of memory formation and retrieval are key to the specialized roles played by concept cells and some of our other specialized neurons.

From

Mr Amsterdam, his lawyer, told the BBC that this included the formation of "a truly independent national electoral commission with members unconnected to the government" - and this must be enshrined in the constitution.

From

And across the border in Sudan, the civil war continues to rage, with Gen Dagalo announcing the formation of a rival government.

From

Sudan's paramilitaries have declared the formation of a rival government to the country's armed forces, two years into a war that has become the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

From

The Safari Park captured the herd’s defensive formation on camera as a magnitude 5.2 earthquake rattled the region, sending shock waves through the elephant enclosure and across Southern California.

From

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formateformation dance