formation

[fawr-mey-shuh n] /fɔrˈmeɪ ʃən/
noun
1.
the act or process of forming or the state of being formed:
the formation of ice.
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.
Origin
1375-1425; late Middle English formacioun < Latin fōrmātiōn- (stem of fōrmātiō), equivalent to fōrmāt(us) (see form, -ate1) + -iōn- -ion
Related forms
formational, adjective
misformation, noun
nonformation, noun
self-formation, noun
subformation, noun
superformation, noun
Synonyms
1. establishment, founding, organization.
Examples from the web for formation
  • But it was primarily tied to the lack of new business formation.
  • Responsible for the formation of clergy and their ongoing training.
  • Small sugar fragments can set off a signal cascade that increases inflammation and scar formation.
  • But in a few caves the conditions were ideal for formation of a different kind of treasure.
  • Prompt removal of spent flower stalks to prevent energy-robbing seed formation.
  • Flurries of questions about mysterious triangle-shaped snowflakes may soon subside, thanks to new research on snowflake formation.
  • His research led to the formation of the university's first biotechnology company.
  • They wondered if he might be able to construct a mathematical model of the formation and growth of bubbles in stout.
  • Swirling eddies and chaotic vortices are crucial to the formation of new planets, suggests a counterintuitive new study.
  • More immediately, they're a starting point for research on bacterial contributions to cloud formation and precipitation.
British Dictionary definitions for formation

formation

/fɔːˈmeɪʃən/
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
4.
  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
5.
(geology)
  1. the fundamental lithostratigraphic unit
  2. a series of rocks with certain characteristics in common
6.
(ecology) a community of plants, such as a tropical rainforest, extending over a very large area
Derived Forms
formational, adjective
Word Origin and History for formation
n.

late 14c., from Old French formacion (12c.) or directly from Latin formationem (nominative formatio) "a forming, shaping," noun of action or condition from past participle stem of formare "to form" (see form (v.)).

formation in Medicine

formation for·ma·tion (fôr-mā'shən)
n.

  1. The act or process of forming something or of taking form.

  2. Something formed.

formation in Science
formation
  (fôr-mā'shən)   
A long, mappable body of rock that is recognizable by its physical characteristics and by its location within the rock record.