Formation is the process of something being created or arranged in a particular shape. It can also mean the shape or pattern itself, such as a rock formation or a flying formation of planes.
From Latin “formatio” meaning “a shaping,” based on “formare” (to form or shape). It entered English through French in the Middle Ages.
Formation is about both the making and the final pattern—like a dance routine and the shapes the dancers make. In nature, formations can take millions of years, turning slow forces like wind and water into dramatic cliffs and caves.
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