formation

/fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

//fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"formation" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“formation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,059 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,059
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of assembling a group or structure.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

formation vs formative
78% similar
formation vs formulation
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for formation
PropertyValue
Headwordformation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/
Letters9
Frequency rank#3,059
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “formation” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). formation lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for formation is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,059 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for formation, with forms such as "fformation", "fomration", and "foramtion". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "formative", "formulation", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English formacioun, formation, borrowed from Old French formacion, from Latin fōrmātiō, from fōrmō (“form”, verb); see form as verb. Morphologically form + -ation. The correct English form is formation, spelled F-O-R-M-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of assembling a group or structure.
  2. 2
    Something possessing structure or form.
  3. 3
    The process during which something comes into being and gains its characteristics.
  4. 4
    A grouping of military units or smaller formations under a command, such as a brigade, division, wing, etc.
  5. 5
    A layer of rock of common origin.
  6. 6
    An arrangement of moving troops, ships, or aircraft, such as a wedge, line abreast, or echelon. Often "in formation".
  7. 7
    An arrangement of players designed to facilitate certain plays.
  8. 8
    The process of influencing or guiding a person to a deeper understanding of a particular vocation.
  9. 9
    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.

Etymology

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

This word in other languages

Bildung(Deutsch)formação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: fformation,fomration,foramtion,formaiton,formasion,formatino,formationn,formatoin,formattion,formmation,formtaion,forrmation,fromation,ofrmation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of formation - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

fformation1fomration2foramtion2formaiton2formasion1formatino2formationn1formatoin2
Edit distance from "formation"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "formation"?
"formation" is spelled F-O-R-M-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/.
What does "formation" mean?
As a noun, "formation" means: The act of assembling a group or structure.
What words are commonly confused with "formation"?
"formation" is commonly confused with "formative", "formulation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "formation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "formation" is /fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "formation"?
From Middle English formacioun, formation, borrowed from Old French formacion, from Latin fōrmātiō, from fōrmō (“form”, verb); see form as verb. Morphologically form + -ation. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “formation”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-O-R-M-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “formative” - see the side-by-side comparison. formation vs formative
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list