for|mu|la

for|mu|la «FR myuh luh», noun, plural -las or -lae.

1. a set form of words, especially one which by much use has partly lost its meaning: »

“How do you do?” is a polite formula.

2. a statement of religious belief or doctrine: »

The Apostles' Creed is a formula of Christian faith.

3. Figurative. a rule or method for doing something, especially when followed slavishly, unintelligently, or mechanically: »

The basic formula was: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl (Russell Baker).

4. a recipe or prescription: »

a formula for making soap.

5. a mixture, especially of milk, water, and sugar prepared for feeding an infant, made according to a recipe or prescription: »

He must prepare the baby's formula…which goes into the bottle and which no American mother would alter without the doctor's sanction (Harper's).

6. Chemistry. an expression showing by symbols and figures the composition of a compound: »

The formula for water is H₂O.

An empirical formula indicates the kind of atoms in each molecule and their proportions. Example: methanol or methyl alcohol, CH₄O. A structural formula, in addition to this, shows the interrelationships of the atoms. Example: CH₃OH or _xchemform_.

7. an expression showing by algebraic symbols a rule, principle, etc.: »

(a + b)² = a² + 2ab + b² is an algebraic formula.

8. a clearly formulated concept, plan, or method: »

a formula for settling a strike.

9. the mechanical specifications of a racing car, especially the capacity of the engine: »

the Grand Prix formula.

╂[< Latin formula (literally, diminutive) < forma form]