I. ˈfȯr-myə-lə noun
( plural -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
II. adjective
Date: 1951
: of, relating to, or being an open-wheel open-cockpit rear-engine racing car conforming to prescribed specifications as to size, weight, and engine displacement