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

Noun

• arrangement
• configuration
• conformation
• formation
• layout
• setout
• setup

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

The format foreshadows reality TV—a genre then its infancy. —Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Schedule: Ramsay said the Tuesday-Saturday format between Games 1 and 2 really helped players regenerate in time to play this weekend. —Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 Nov. 2024

Verb

Users are typically given access to Spotify Wrapped through an in-app pop-up, and the package is formatted as a slideshow with Instagram Story-ready graphics. —Conor Murray, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

The result is that the LLM follows the adversarial prompt, gathers all the personal information, and formats it into a Markdown image command—attaching the personal information to a URL owned by the attackers. —Matt Burgess, WIRED, 17 Oct. 2024

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

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