I. ˈfȯrmyələ, -ȯ(ə)m- noun
( plural formu·las -ləz ; also formu·lae -ˌlē, -ˌlī)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Latin, diminutive of forma form
1.
a. : a set form of words for use in a ceremony or ritual
b. : a formal statement of religious doctrine or a written confession of faith
c. : a conventionalized statement intended to express some fundamental truth or principle especially as a basis for negotiation, discussion, or action
the two nations sought a formula that would allow settling of the border dispute
the formula “54-40 or fight”
2.
a. : a recipe or prescription giving method and proportions of ingredients for the preparation of some material (as a medicine, a blend of coffee, or a caulking compound)
b. : a milk mixture or substitute for feeding an infant typically consisting of prescribed proportions and forms of cow's milk, water, and sugar ; often : a batch of this made up at one time to meet an infant's future requirements (as during a 24-hour period)
3.
a. : a general fact, rule, or principle expressed in symbols
certain earlier workers attempted to differentiate nematodes by a formula of numerical ratios
b. : a symbolic expression showing the composition or constitution of a chemical substance and consisting of symbols for the elements present and subscripts to indicate the relative or total number of atoms present in a molecule
the formulas for water, sulfuric acid, and ethyl alcohol are H 2 O, H 2 SO 4 , and C 2 H 5 OH respectively
— see empirical formula , general formula , molecular formula , structural formula
c. : a group of symbols (as numbers, letters, or arbitrary signs) associated to express briefly a single concept ; also in logic : any combination of signs in an uninterpreted calculus
d. in logic : an expression (as a statement or matrix) stipulated to be meaningful by the rules of the calculus to which it belongs ; especially : such an expression containing only variables
4. : a prescribed or set form : a fixed or conventional method (as of acting, arranging, or speaking) : an established rule or custom — often used somewhat derogatorily
many of the paintings were unimaginative formula works
the limitations of formula fiction — Coleman Rosenberger
5. : any of the various written forms by which the praetors of ancient Rome referred causes to judges or arbitrators for hearing and adjudication upon a summons of the defendant into court by the plaintiff
II. adjective
Etymology: formula , noun
of a racing car : conforming to prescribed specifications of size, weight, and engine displacement and usually having a long narrow body, open wheels, a single-seat open cockpit, and an engine in the rear