formation

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See also: Formation and formâtion

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English formacioun, formation, borrowed from Old French formacion, from Latin fōrmātiō, from fōrmō (form, verb); see form as verb. Morphologically form +‎ -ation

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

formation (countable and uncountable, plural formations)

  1. The act of assembling a group or structure. [from 14th c.]
    • 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)
      Some cloud formation was confirmed and rainfall was observed over some islands.
      (file)
  2. Something possessing structure or form. [from 17th c.]
  3. The process during which something comes into being and gains its characteristics. [from 18th c.]
  4. (military) A grouping of military units or smaller formations under a command, such as a brigade, division, wing, etc. [from 18th c.]
  5. (geology) A layer of rock of common origin. [from 19th c.]
    • 2012, Chinle Miller, In Mesozoic Lands: The Mesozoic Geology of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Kindle edition:
      Over a broad region, the color of a formation may change.
  6. (military) An arrangement of moving troops, ships, or aircraft, such as a wedge, line abreast, or echelon. Often "in formation".
  7. (sports) An arrangement of players designed to facilitate certain plays.
    • 2017 May 13, Barney Ronay, “Antonio Conte’s brilliance has turned Chelsea’s pop-up team into champions”, in the Guardian[1]:
      N'Golo Kanté embodies both sides of this, a player whose early scratchiness was soothed with glorious results in the new 3-4-3 formation, allowed simply to be his best, most wonderfully mobile, diligent, destructive self.
  8. The process of influencing or guiding a person to a deeper understanding of a particular vocation.
  9. (category theory) A structure made of two categories, two functors from the first to the second category, and a transformation from one of the functors to the other.

Hyponyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Further reading[edit]

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Inherited from Old French formacion, borrowed from Latin fōrmātiōnem. Cf. also the archaic formaison.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

formation f (plural formations)

  1. formation, forming, development
  2. education; training
    la formation juridiquejudicial training
    Je suis gynécologue de formation.I'm a trainee gynecologist.
  3. (military) formation

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Swedish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin formatio.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

formation c

  1. formation

Declension[edit]

Declension of formation 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative formation formationen formationer formationerna
Genitive formations formationens formationers formationernas

References[edit]