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The definition of form is the shape of a person, animal or thing or a piece of paperwork that needs to be filled out.

(noun)

An example of form is the circular shape of an apple.
An example of form is a job application.

Form is defined as to make or construct something.

(verb)

An example of form is to build a statue out of clay.

See form in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

the shape, outline, or configuration of anything; structure as apart from color, material, etc.
1. the body or figure of a person or animal
2. a model of the human figure, esp. one used to display or fit clothes
anything used to give shape to something else; mold; specif., a temporary structure of boards or metal into which concrete is poured to set
the particular mode of existence a thing has or takes: water in the form of vapor
1. arrangement; esp., orderly arrangement; way in which parts of a whole are organized; pattern; style
2. a specific arrangement, esp. a conventional one
a way of doing something requiring skill; specif., the style or technique of an athlete, esp. when it is the standard or approved one
a customary or conventional way of acting or behaving; ceremony; ritual; formality
a fixed order of words; formula: the form of a wedding announcement
a printed document with blank spaces to be filled in: an application form
a particular kind, type, species, or variety: man is a form of animal life
physical or mental condition with respect to one's performance or effectiveness: in good form for the game
1. racing form
2. what is or was to be expected, based on past performances: to react according to form
the lair or hiding place of a hare, etc.
a long, wooden bench without a back, as formerly in a schoolroom
a grade or class in some private schools and in British secondary schools
Archaic beauty
Gram. any of the different variations in which a word may appear due to changes of inflection, spelling, or pronunciation: “am” is a form of the verb “be”
Linguis. linguistic form
Philos. the ideal nature or essential character of a thing as distinguished from its material manifestation; specif., in Plato, an idea (sense )
Printing the type, engravings, etc. locked in a frame, or chase, for printing or plating

Origin: ME forme < OFr < L forma, a shape, figure, image < ? (via Etr) Gr morphē

transitive verb

to give shape or form to; fashion; make, as in some particular way
to mold or shape by training and discipline; train; instruct
to develop (habits)
to think of; frame in the mind; conceive
to come together into; organize into: to form a club
to make up; act as; create out of separate elements; constitute: thirteen states formed the original Union
Gram.
1. to build (words) from bases, affixes, etc.
2. to construct or make up (a phrase, sentence, etc.)

Origin: ME formen < OFr fourmer < L formare < the n.

intransitive verb

to be formed; assume shape
to come into being; take form
to take a definite or specific form or shape

having the form of; shaped like: dentiform
having (a specified number of) forms: triform

Origin: OFr -forme < L forma, form

See form in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. The shape and structure of an object.
b. The body or outward appearance of a person or an animal considered separately from the face or head; figure.
a. The essence of something.
b. The mode in which a thing exists, acts, or manifests itself; kind: a form of animal life; a form of blackmail.
a. Procedure as determined or governed by regulation or custom.
b. A fixed order of words or procedures, as for use in a ceremony; a formula.
A document with blanks for the insertion of details or information: insurance forms.
a. Manners or conduct as governed by etiquette, decorum, or custom.
b. Behavior according to a fixed or accepted standard: Tardiness is considered bad form.
c. Performance considered with regard to acknowledged criteria: a good jump shooter having an unusual form.
a. Proven ability to perform: a musician at the top of her form.
b. Fitness, as of an athlete or animal, with regard to health or training.
c. The past performance of a racehorse.
d. A racing form.
a. Method of arrangement or manner of coordinating elements in literary or musical composition or in organized discourse: presented my ideas in outline form; a treatise in the form of a dialogue.
b. A particular type or example of such arrangement: The essay is a literary form.
c. The design, structure, or pattern of a work of art: symphonic form.
a. A mold for the setting of concrete.
b. A model of the human figure or part of it used for displaying clothes.
c. A proportioned model that may be adjusted for fitting clothes.
A grade in a British secondary school or in some American private schools: the sixth form.
a. A linguistic form.
b. The external aspect of words with regard to their inflections, pronunciation, or spelling.
a. Chiefly British A long seat; a bench.
b. The resting place of a hare.
Botany A subdivision of a variety usually differing in one trivial characteristic, such as flower color.

verb formed, form·ing, forms

verb, transitive

a. To give form to; shape: form clay into figures.
b. To develop in the mind; conceive: form an opinion.
a. To shape or mold (dough, for example) into a particular form.
b. To arrange oneself in: Holding out his arms, the cheerleader formed a T. The acrobats formed a pyramid.
c. To organize or arrange: The environmentalists formed their own party.
d. To fashion, train, or develop by instruction or precept: form a child's mind.
To come to have; develop or acquire: form a habit.
To constitute or compose a usually basic element, part, or characteristic of.
a. To produce (a tense, for example) by inflection: form the pluperfect.
b. To make (a word) by derivation or composition.
To put in order; arrange.

verb, intransitive

To become formed or shaped.
To come into being by taking form; arise.
To assume a specified form, shape, or pattern.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English forme

Origin: , from Latin fōrma

Related Forms:

formˌa·bilˈi·ty noun

formˈa·ble adjective

suffix

Having the form of: plexiform.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin -fōrmis

Origin: , from Latin fōrma, form

See form in Ologies

Form

allomerism

variability of a chemical compound in which there is no variation in crystalline form. —allomeric, adj.

amorphism

the quality of being shapeless. Also, Rare. amorphy. —amorphic, adj.

anamorphism

a distorted image of an object, as in anamorphic art. Also anamorphosis. —anamorphic, adj.

anamorphoscope

a cylindrical mirror for correcting the distorted image created by anamorphism.

anamorphosis

anamorphism.

decussation

the state of being in the form of an X. See also joining.

geomorphology

Physical Geography. the study of the characteristics, origins, and development of land forms. —geomorphologist, n. —geomorphologic, geomorphological, adj.

gibbosity

the state or condition of being curved, especially convexly. —gibbous, adj.

hemitery

any minor malformation.

heteromorphism

1. the quality of differing in form from the standard or norm.

2. the condition of existing in different forms at different stages of development, as certain insects. —heteromorphic, adj.

idiomorphism

the state or quality of having a peculiar or characteristic form; uniqueness or individuality in form. —idiomorphic, adj.

incorporealism

the state of having no material body or form. —incorporeity, n.

morphogenesis

the origin(s) of the various aspects of the form of an organism. Also called morphogeny. —morphogenetic, adj.

morphography

the scientific description of form. —morphographer, n. —morphographic, adj.

morphology

1. the study of the form or structure of anything.

2. the branch of biology that studies the form and structure of plants and animals. See also geomorphology. —morphologist, n. —morphologic, morphological, adj.

morphometry

the process or technique of measuring the external form of an object. —morphometrical, adj.

morphonomy

the study of the laws governing form in nature. —morphonomic, adj.

morphophyly

the study of the phylogeny of forms.

omniformity

the state or quality of having every form. —omniform, adj.

orthogonality

the state or quality of being right-angled or perpendicular. —orthogonal, adj.

palingenesis

1. the phase in the development of an organism in which its form and structure pass through the changes undergone in the evolution of the species.

2. the morphological and structural changes that occur during insect development. Also palingenesia, palingenesy. —palingenetic, adj.

promorphology

the branch of morphology that studies the forms of organisms from a mathematical point of view. —promorphologist, n. —promorphological adj.

schematism

the form, disposition, or outline of a thing or concept. —schematist, n.

tectology

a branch of morphology that regards an organism as made up of other organisms. —tectological, adj.

tetramorphism

the property of displaying four different forms. —tetramorph, n. —tetramorphic, adj.

trimorphism

the state or quality of occurring in three distinct forms, usually at different stages of development, as certain plants, organisms, etc. —trimorphic, trimorphous, adj.

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