Form or forme?
form is a noun meaning “The shape or visible structure of a thing or person”; forme is a noun meaning “Alternative form of form (“type etc. secured in a chase”)”. In written English (wordfreq, 2021 data) form is about 741 times as common as forme.
What is the difference between form and forme?
| form | forme | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | noun, verb, suffix, prefix | noun, adjective |
| Meaning | The shape or visible structure of a thing or person A thing that gives shape to other things as in a mold To assume (a certain shape or visible structure) | Alternative form of form (“type etc. secured in a chase”) Alternative form of formée |
| Example | When you kids form a straight line I'll hand out the lollies | none recorded |
| Forms | forms | formes |
| Pronunciation | /fɔːm/ /fɔɹm/ [fo̞ɹm] | not recorded |
| In writing | 204 times per million words | about once in every 4 million words |
Sources: form and forme in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of form and forme
form
- 1
The shape or visible structure of a thing or person
- 2
To assume (a certain shape or visible structure)
When you kids form a straight line I'll hand out the lollies
- 3
Having the shape or form of; looking like
vermiform (“shaped like a worm”)
- 4
Related to formic acid in some way
chloroform
- 5
Alternative form of formo-, used before vowels
- 6
Acronym of family, occupation, recreation, motivation, a set of potential topics of conversation for use by salespeople etc
- 7
A thing that gives shape to other things as in a mold
- 8
To give (a shape or visible structure) to a thing or person
Roll out the dough to form a thin sheet
forme
- 1
Alternative form of form (“type etc. secured in a chase”)
- 2
Alternative form of formée
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, form or forme?
form appears 204 times per million words; forme about once in every 4 million words.
form 204 times per million wordsforme about once in every 4 million words
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).