formation
noun
for·ma·tion
fȯr-ˈmā-shən
1
: an act of giving form or shape to something or of taking form : development
the formation of the planets
2
: something that is formed
new word formations
a rock formation
3
: the manner in which a thing is formed : structure
the peculiar formation of the heart
4
: a major kind of plant growth (such as forest, grassland, or tundra) characteristic of a broad ecological region
5
a
: any igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rock represented as a unit
b
: any sedimentary bed or consecutive series of beds sufficiently homogeneous or distinctive to be a unit
6
: an arrangement of a body or group of persons or things in some prescribed manner or for a particular purpose
flying in formation
Cite this Entry
“Formation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formation. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.
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