The act of assembling a group or structure. [from 14th c.] / Something possessing structure or form. [from 17th c.]

Being in accord with established forms. / Official. / Relating to the form or structure of something. / Relating to formation. / Ceremonial or traditional.

(clothing) An evening gown. / An event with a formal dress code. / (programming) A formal parameter. / (Oxbridge slang) Ellipsis of formal hall..

(uncountable) Formalin. / An acetal formed from formaldehyde.

(uncountable) The state of being formal. / Something said or done as a matter of form. / A customary ritual without new or unique meaning.

(programming) An abstract representation, typically including a name and a type, of a parameter expected to be passed to a method or function.

A solution of formaldehyde in water; used as a disinfectant and to preserve biological specimens.

Alternative spelling of back-formation.

(mathematics) A formalism for a physical theory which is based upon the canonical equations of Hamiltonian dynamics.

A formalism for a physical theory which is based upon Feynman path integrals.