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” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #3,059. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#3,059
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of assembling a group or structure.

Corpus desk

Index EN-formation · formation · English

formation · rank #3,059 · 14 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #3,059
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH filed

Nearest frequency peer: filed (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “formation”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “formation” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

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)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “formation”

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

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “filed” (#3,058), “fought” (#3,060), “faced” (#3,057). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “formation” is #3,059. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around formation (IPA /fɔːˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #3,059 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how formation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Some cloud formation was confirmed and rainfall was observed over some islands.
  2. Over a broad region, the color of a formation may change.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "formation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

extensive#3,056criticism#3,051initially#3,068chocolate#3,047

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

challenges14 variantsreturning14 variantssettlement14 variantstradition14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list