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View synonyms for

formative

[ fawr-muh-tiv ]

adjective

  1. giving form or shape; forming; shaping; fashioning; molding:

    a formative process in manufacturing.

  2. relating to formation or development:

    a child's most formative years.

    Synonyms: , ,

  3. Biology.
    1. capable of developing new cells or tissue by cell division and differentiation:

      formative tissue.

    2. concerned with the formation of an embryo, organ, or the like.
  4. Education. continuous and diagnostic, and covering specifically the current material with which the student is actively engaged; ongoing: formative evaluation; Compare summative ( def 2 ).

    formative assessment;

    formative evaluation;

    formative feedback.

  5. Grammar. relating to a formative, an affix that indicates the part of speech of a derived word.


noun

  1. Grammar. a derivational affix, particularly one that determines the part of speech of the derived word, as -ness, in loudness, hardness, etc.
  2. Linguistics. (in generative grammar) any element, as a word, affix, or inflectional ending, functioning as a minimal syntactic unit that can be used in forming larger constructions.

formative

/ ˈɔːəɪ /

adjective

  1. of or relating to formation, development, or growth

    formative years

  2. shaping; moulding

    a formative experience

  3. (of tissues and cells in certain parts of an organism) capable of growth and differentiation
  4. functioning in the formation of derived, inflected, or compound words
“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

noun

  1. an inflectional or derivational affix
  2. (in generative grammar) any of the minimum units of a sentence that have syntactic function
“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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈڴǰپ, adverb
  • ˈڴǰپԱ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • ڴǰ··پ· adverb
  • ڴǰ··پ·Ա noun
  • ԴDz·ڴǰ··پ adjective
  • non·ڴǰ··پ· adverb
  • ܲ·ڴǰ··پ adjective
  • sub·ڴǰ··پ· adverb
  • sub·ڴǰ··پ·Ա noun
  • ܲ·ڴǰ··پ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of formative1

First recorded in 1480–90; from Old French formatif (masculine), formative (feminine); formation, -ive
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

American novelist William Faulkner, in particular, was formative to his thinking.

From

The cast also shaved each other's heads before filming and got shared tattoos afterwards, speaking about how they wanted to mark what had been a "formative" experience, building lasting friendships.

From

"It was really formative for me," Connor says about his time on the film.

From

In this latest study – of the children of the children of the 90s – scientists are looking specifically at formative abilities and brain development.

From

It is absolutely true, as Leslie chronicles in painstaking fashion, that Lennon and McCartney shared a closeness during their formative years through The Beatles’ final months as a working rock ‘n’ roll band.

From

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formation rulesformative assessment