formative

1 of 2

adjective

for·​ma·​tive ˈfȯr-mə-tiv How to pronounce formative (audio)
1
a
: giving or capable of giving form : constructive
a formative influence
b
: used in word formation or inflection
2
: capable of alteration by growth and development
also : producing new cells and tissues
3
: of, relating to, or characterized by formative effects or formation
formative years
formatively adverb

formative

2 of 2

noun

: the element (such as a suffix) in a word that serves to give the word appropriate form and is not part of the base

Did you know?

Whatever gives shape to something else may be called formative: for example, the Grand Canyon is a product of the formative power of water, and the automobile was a huge formative influence on the design of America's cities. But it usually applies to some kind of shaping that isn't physical. An ambitious plan, for example, goes through a formative stage of development. The formative years of the U.S. included experimentation with various forms of government. And the most important formative experiences in our own lives tend to take place in the first 20 years or so.

Examples of formative in a Sentence

Adjective This experience had a formative influence on his art. a teacher who was a formative influence on generations of students
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Marianne Pfeil/Alamy Sea Rim State Park Just south of Port Arthur, where rocker Janis Joplin spent her formative years, lies Sea Rim State Park with three miles of sandy beachfront. Pam Leblanc, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2024 Ali was born Virginia Rollins in 1933, and in many ways, her formative years were preindustrial. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 As the site of so much activity during rap’s formative years, Philadelphia is an essential component for anyone seeking to understand hip-hop’s early development. John Morrison, SPIN, 13 Feb. 2024 Millennials, the generation that was introduced to Instagram during their formative years—and also quickly saw the social media perfection era give way to more genuine, more messy content formats—has found a happy medium in TikTok. Jasmine Browley, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 But the gregarious Ohanian had been the public face of Reddit during its formative years and to early users was a kind of spiritual leader who shaped the community’s culture while Huffman worked on the code. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2024 In his formative years, Kiranos was immersed in the underground Miami scene of metal and punk music, street and gang culture, and BMX bikes. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024 Still, the company’s formative years were lucrative. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 20 Feb. 2024 The concept was born out of McNeil’s own formative experiences with the disability community. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Feb. 2024
Noun
Any Hollywood star who has done a big movie — or at least one formative to their career — probably has taken a special prop or two from set. Andrea Towers, EW.com, 12 Apr. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'formative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1816, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of formative was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near formative

Cite this Entry

“Formative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formative. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

formative

adjective
for·​ma·​tive
ˈfȯr-mət-iv
1
: giving or able to give form
a formative influence
2
: of, relating to, or characterized by important growth or formation
formative years
formatively adverb
formativeness noun

Medical Definition

formative

adjective
for·​ma·​tive ˈfȯr-mət-iv How to pronounce formative (audio)
: capable of alteration by growth and development
also : producing new cells and tissues

More from Merriam-Webster on formative

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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