format

1 of 2

noun

for·​mat ˈfȯr-ˌmat 

1

: the shape, size, and general makeup (as of something printed)

2

: general plan of organization, arrangement, or choice of material (as for a television show)

3

: a method of organizing data (as for storage)

various file formats

format

2 of 2

verb

formatted; formatting

transitive verb

1

: to arrange (something, such as material to be printed or stored data) in a particular format

2

: to prepare (something, such as a computer disk) for storing data in a particular format

formatter noun

Synonyms of format

Noun

• layout
• formation

Examples of format in a Sentence

Noun

The journals are available in electronic format.

The file is saved in MP3 format.

Verb

The book is formatted in several different styles.

The data was improperly formatted.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This collaboration reflects Sooka’s commitment to expanding our content ecosystem with innovative, mobile-first formats that resonate with evolving viewing habits. —Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 17 June 2026

Premium large formats have skyrocketed in popularity since COVID, in part because the larger-than-life screens help distinguish the out-of-the-home moviegoing experience. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 17 June 2026

Verb

To work around this, LLM hackers turned to markup language, which, among other things, allows users to add formatting elements such as headings, lists, and links to text without the need for HTML tags. —Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026

That means that some requests that should have been rejected may not have been, while other potential matches may have failed due to formatting differences. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French or German; French, from German, from Latin formatus, past participle of formare to form, from forma

First Known Use

Noun

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1964, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing format

• pre-format

Rhymes for format

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat
• tomcat

Kids Definition

format

1 of 2 noun

for·​mat ˈfȯ(ə)r-ˌmat 

1

: the general organization or arrangement of something

2

: a method of organizing data (as for storage)

a file format

format

2 of 2 verb

formatted; formatting

1

: to produce in a particular format

2

: to prepare for storing computer data

format the disk