the general physical appearance of a book, magazine, or newspaper, such as the typeface, binding, quality of paper, margins, etc.
3.
the organization, plan, style, or type of something:
The format of the show allowed for topical and controversial gags.
4.
Computers. the arrangement of data for computer input or output, such as the number and size of fields in a record or the spacing and punctuation of information in a report.
verb (used with object), formatted, formatting.
5.
to plan or provide a format for:
to format the annual telethon.
6.
Computers.
to set the format of (input or output):
Some word-processing programs format output in a variety of ways.
to prepare (a disk) for writing and reading.
verb (used without object), formatted, formatting.
7.
to devise a format.
Origin
1830-40; < French < Latin (liber) fōrmātus (a book) formed (in a certain way)
Related forms
formatter, noun
preformat, verb (used with object), preformatted, preformatting.
reformat, verb, reformatted, reformatting.
Examples from the web for formatting
The initial text includes uninterpreted text formatting control commands.
The total number of bits stored on a physical disk can vary simply by changing disk formatting parameters.
But that's another problem with the formatting of these programs, which in all likelihood can't be changed.
In any case, make sure your resume is legible in the absence of these formatting features.
They let you apply different formatting options with the click of a button.
Color-coded formatting ensures that kids are organized and focused.
But none of that is a reason for formatting them out of existence.
All this is possible because the protocols for formatting, requesting and transmitting web pages have been standardised.
The material suppliers are merely embedded in normalised commercial and military purchasing routines and formatting.
Plenty of e-books have pictures, but the formatting tends to be crude, and tiny phone screens don't help matters.
British Dictionary definitions for formatting
format
/ˈfɔːmæt/
noun
1.
the general appearance of a publication, including type style, paper, binding, etc
2.
an approximate indication of the size of a publication as determined by the number of times the original sheet of paper is folded to make a leaf See also duodecimo, quarto
3.
style, plan, or arrangement, as of a television programme
4.
(computing)
the defined arrangement of data encoded in a file or for example on magnetic disk or CD-ROM, essential for the correct recording and recovery of data on different devices
the arrangement of text on printed output or a display screen, or a coded description of such an arrangement
verb (transitive) -mats, -matting, -matted
5.
to arrange (a book, page, etc) into a specified format
Word Origin
C19: via French from German, from Latin liber formātus volume formed
Word Origin and History for formatting
format
n.
1840, via French format (18c.), ultimately from Modern Latin liber formatus "a book formed" (in such and such a way), referring to shape, size; from past participle of formare "to form" (see form (v.)).
v.
used chiefly of computers, 1964, from format (n.). Related: Formatted; formatting.
formatting in Science
format
(fôr'māt') Noun The arrangement of data for storage or display.
Verb
To divide a disk into marked sectors so that it may store data.
To determine the arrangement of data for storage or display.