formation English · revision 4876

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1450|origins=la formatio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /fɔːˈmeɪ.ʃən/, US /fɔːrˈmeɪ.ʃən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|formacioun]], [[bor|fro|formacion|t=formation, fashioning, creation]] and directly from [[la|fōrmātiō|alt=formatio|t=a forming, shaping]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) a noun of action from formāre “to form”,^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from forma “form, shape”, the source of [[form]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The vital force in plants and animals: the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The act or process of forming, the early 15th century in Etymonline and about 1450 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The thing formed is from 1646 (the 1640s in Etymonline),^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and the manner in which something is formed, its structure, from 1774.^(OED 1989) An arrangement of troops is from 1796–7,^(OED 1989) and of aircraft flying together from 1914.^(OED 1989) In geology a group of rocks of similar origin or character is from 1815,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and in ecology a plant community from 1898.^(OED 1989) ''Formation dancing'' is from 1936.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1450 – the act of forming.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1646 – a thing formed.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1774 – structure.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1796 – an arrangement of troops.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1815 – a rock formation.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1914 – aircraft in formation.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The process of forming or developing something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Something that has been formed, especially a mass of [[rock]] or cloud.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An arrangement of people, ships or aircraft, especially in [[military]] use.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(geology)'' A body of rock with a common character, the basic unit of rock layers.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[formational]]

+ * [[back-formation]]

+ * [[malformation]]

+ * [[misformation]]

+ * [[neoformation]]

+ * [[nonformation]]

+ * [[preformation]]

+ * [[reformation]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[form]]

+ * [[format]]

+ * [[formative]]

+ * [[inform]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}