Main Entry: ¹for·mu·la

Pronunciation: \ˈfȯr-myə-lə\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural for·mu·las or for·mu·lae \-ˌlē, -ˌlī\

Etymology: Latin, diminutive of forma form

Date: 1618

1 a : a set form of words for use in a ceremony or ritual b : a conventionalized statement intended to express some fundamental truth or principle especially as a basis for negotiation or action
2 a (1) : recipe (2) : prescription b : a milk mixture or substitute for feeding an infant
3 a : a general fact, rule, or principle expressed in usually mathematical symbols b : a symbolic expression of the chemical composition or constitution of a substance c : a group of symbols (as letters and numbers) associated to express facts or data (as the number and kinds of teeth in the jaw) concisely d : a combination of signs in a logical calculus
4 : a customary or set form or method allowing little room for originality

— for·mu·la·ic \ˌfȯr-myə-ˈlā-ik\ adjective

— for·mu·la·ical·ly \-ˈlā-ə-k(ə-)lē\ adverb