formation
/fɔːˈmeɪʃən/noun
1
- mass noun the action of forming or process of being formed形成, 组成：
the formation of the Great Rift Valley.
东非大裂谷的形成。
2
- a thing that has been formed形成的事物：
strange black rock formations.
奇怪的黑色岩层。
2.1
- a structure or arrangement of something结构, 排列：
a cloud formation.
云层。
2.2
- a formal arrangement of aircraft in flight or troops（飞机, 部队）队形, 编队：
a battle formation
战斗队形
mass noun the helicopters hovered overhead in formation.直升机在空中编队盘旋。
派生词
formational
adjective词源
late Middle English: from Latin formatio（n-）, from formare 'to form' （see FORM）.