formula — English Dictionary

Noun

1. Any mathematical rule expressed symbolically.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Synonyms

   mathematical formula

   Examples

   x=(-b±√)/(2a) is a formula for finding the roots of the quadratic equation ax² + bx + c = 0.

2. A symbolic expression of the structure of a compound.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Synonyms

   chemical formula

   Examples

   H₂O is the formula for water.

3. A plan or method for dealing with a problem or for achieving a result.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   The company's winning formula includes excellent service and quality products.

   More examples (1)

   Shakespeare has gone back to the formula of last season, by encouraging his players to press high up the pitch and restoring Shinji Okazaki to the starting XI to scurry around between midfield and attack.

   Delays, large and small, have a huge variety of causes, so there is no magic formula for preventing them.

4. A formulation; a prescription; a mixture or solution made in a prescribed manner; the identity and quantities of ingredients of such a mixture.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   The formula of the rocket fuel has not been revealed.

5. A fixed phrase or set of words intended to be interpreted non-literally, typically used attitudinally or as part of convention; a formulation.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   Avoid the typical epistolic formalae, such as "Kind regards".

6. A formal statement of doctrine.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • especially
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   The extract from the Missal of Constance, which was printed before the editio princeps […] does not contain the formulae for Advent, Sundays after Epiphany, Lent and the Sundays after Easter and Pentecost; […]

7. A syntactic expression of a proposition, built up from quantifiers, logical connectives, variables, relation and operation symbols, and, depending on the type of logic, possibly other operators such as modal, temporal, deontic or epistemic ones.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

Noun

1. a group of symbols that make a mathematical statement

   Synonyms

   expression

   Broader terms

   mathematical statement

2. directions for making something

   Synonyms

   recipe

   Broader terms

   directioninstruction

3. a conventionalized statement expressing some fundamental principle

   Broader terms

   statement

4. a representation of a substance using symbols for its constituent elements

   Synonyms

   chemical formula

   Broader terms

   statement

5. something regarded as a normative example

   Synonyms

   conventionnormalpatternrule

   Broader terms

   practice

   Examples

   the convention of not naming the main character

   violence is the rule not the exception

   More examples (1)

   his formula for impressing visitors

6. a liquid food for infants

   Broader terms

   milk

7. (mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems

   Synonyms

   rule

   Broader terms

   procedureprocess

   Examples

   he determined the upper bound with Descartes' rule of signs

   he gave us a general formula for attacking polynomials