the size, shape, or arrangement of something, especially the way information, a document, or a program is organized and presented
The teacher explained the new format of the weekly quiz.
The TV show changed its format to attract younger viewers.
✦ Borrowed from French format, from Latin forma “shape, form.” It first appeared in English in the mid-19th century to describe book sizes before broadening to other kinds of arrangement.
to arrange the appearance or structure of text, pages, or other information in a particular way
She formatted the essay with double spacing and wide margins.
Make sure to format the table so the numbers align.
to prepare a disk, memory card, or other storage device for use, which deletes all existing data
Before installing the new system, he had to format the hard drive.
The photographer formatted the memory card to clear space for new pictures.
the act or process of creating or developing something
The rapid formation of ice on the pond surprised the children.
Language teachers study the formation of new words over time.
✦ Borrowed from Latin formatio meaning ‘a shaping, a forming’, from formare ‘to form’.
a physical structure or pattern that has been naturally or artificially created
Tourists flocked to see the towering sandstone formation in the desert.
Coral reefs are a delicate formation built by tiny sea creatures.
a thorough or dramatic change in form, appearance, or character
The abandoned warehouse underwent a stunning transformation into luxury lofts.
After months of training, Marco's body transformation amazed his friends.
✦ from Latin transformare “to change in shape,” from trans- “across” + formare “to form.”
in mathematics, a rule that maps every point of a figure or space to another point, often changing its position, size, or orientation
A rotation by 90 degrees is a common geometric transformation.
The programmer used a matrix transformation to render the 3-D model.
✦ adopted into mathematical vocabulary in the 19th century to describe operations that change geometric figures.
